Hobart-based Liferaft Systems Australia (LSA) will supply its Marine Evacuation Systems (MES) into the Hunter Class Frigate Program under a contract with BAE Systems Maritime Australia. The contract will see each of the Royal Australian Navy’s first three Hunter class anti-submarine warfare ships fitted with four MES. Each MES is capable of holding 115 people once deployed, with delivery of the MES scheduled between 2026 and 2031.
The Tasmanian-based Small to Medium Enterprise (SME) is already supplying MES for the Royal Navy’s eight Type 26 frigates in the UK, enabling the Hunter Class Frigate Program to leverage existing testing reports to ensure consistent performance and achieve time and cost savings across the program.
LSA is one of over 60 Tasmanian organisations pursing opportunities in the defence industry, with this contract adding to the more than $500 million in Defence contracts awarded to Tasmanian companies in the past five years.
Paul Berryman, Acting Managing Director of BAE Systems Maritime Australia, said: “We welcome Liferaft Systems Australia to the Hunter program and look forward to working closely with its local and highly experienced team. The Liferaft team bring world-class knowledge to the Osborne Naval Shipyard and have been delivering critical Marine Evacuation Systems to navies around the world for decades. Through the Hunter program, we are maximising opportunities for Australian industry to contribute to the defence supply chain, ensuring our nation has an enduring continuous naval shipbuilding capability.”
Mike Grainger, Managing Director of Liferaft Systems Australia, said: “We are pleased to once again be working with BAE Systems which is the continuation of a long and professional relationship with one of the world’s leading defence prime contractors. BAE Systems and LSA have forged a strong connection allowing LSA to supply an internationally approved Marine Evacuation System which is completely designed and manufactured in Tasmania’s capital city of Hobart, employing locals and supporting the local community. We envisage this relationship will continue to strengthen and we remain open to potential future opportunities, not only within Australia but at a global level as well, which would in turn generate export dollars for our economy. We appreciate and respect the support of BAE Systems Maritime Australia and look forward to continuing our partnership well into the future.”
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