Australian Hornets have been involved in several major upgrade programs.

The upgrade programme continued well into the 1980s.

The first phase of the upgrade programme was completed in 1997.

Leica announced a perpetual upgrade program on 31 January 2008.

A similar upgrade program was also concurrently underway in Austria.

The 4400th recommended the aircraft not be used in combat without a major upgrade program.

A new upgrade program is under way for a very small number of SA80s since late 2007.

It has also worked with these companies in the development of environmental upgrade programs.

However, rapidly improving technology led to the upgrade program being canceled in favor of more ambitious changes.

A second upgrade program was begun in 2009, with better support for the strike role and improvement of air-to-air capabilities.