BAE Systems Maritime Australia and Lloyd’s Register are working together to further support Australian businesses prepare to supply equipment to the Hunter Class Frigate Program. Through Hunter, BAE Systems Maritime Australia is designing and will build 9 of the world’s most potent submarine-hunting warships. Lloyd’s Register has been appointed as the classification society for the program, the largest surface ship project in the nation’s defence history. Lloyd’s Register is currently sharing knowledge and capability with 40 BAE Systems employees, enabling the team to train and educate others.
According to BAE Systems Maritime Australia Managing Director, Craig Lockhart: “This collaboration with Lloyd’s Register will help develop the supply chain in support of continuous naval shipbuilding for Australia,” said Craig. “Lloyd’s Register knowledge transfer will enable our employees to confidently advise small and medium enterprises (SMEs) of LR certification requirements for supplier packages. Our employees will also be able to perform gap analysis on the existing operations of suppliers, as well as help and advise suppliers on improvements or modifications needed to meet the requirements of a Lloyd’s Register Class of Ship.”
The service is available to SMEs that have been selected, or identified as a potential supplier, of material that requires Lloyd’s Register approval for either the Hunter program or one of the program’s major suppliers. In October 2020, BAE Systems Maritime Australia awarded Lloyd’s Register the contract to provide tailored Naval Classification and Certification Services for the Hunter program’s prototyping phase, which cut steel in December 2020. Naval Classification and Certification Services are being delivered by the Lloyd’s Register Australia team, who are co-located with BAE Systems Maritime Australia employees at the state-of-the-art shipyard at Osborne, in South Australia.
According to Lloyd’s Register Global Head of Segments, David Lloyd: “We are delighted that BAE Systems Maritime Australia selected Lloyd’s Register to provide Naval Classification and Certification services to the Hunter Class Frigate Program, an important component of Australia’s continuous naval shipbuilding strategy,” said David. “LR’s support to BAE Systems Maritime Australia in achieving Class accreditation for the Hunter program continues to demonstrate our commitment to providing tailored, world-class assurance services to our defence industry partners and navies as well as unparalleled experience in supporting new naval construction and sustainment programs around the world. “The capability of Australian businesses supplying the Hunter class program will grow through BAE Systems Maritime Australia’s application of Lloyd’s Register Naval Classification and Certification services, enabling them to further develop robust shipbuilding, supply chain and quality control processes, not just for the Hunter program, but beyond.”