BAE Systems Maritime Australia has announced businesses in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia will deliver products into the prototyping phase of the Hunter Class Frigate Program, the nation’s largest surface shipbuilding project. The three companies selected will supply a range of manufactured parts for prototyping blocks now under construction at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in Adelaide. The Hunter Frigate program will deliver nine warships to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Work underway on prototyping blocks is enabling systems, tools, plant, workforce and supplier products to be tested, evaluated and refined, providing a solid operational foundation prior to the commencement of production on the first Hunter Class Frigate.
The companies awarded contracts are:
- Defence Seals & Spares (NSW): supply manhole and access panel gaskets from its Warriewood operations, north of Sydney;
- ABECK Group (Vic): manufacture/supply flowforge gratings from its Dandenong facility;
- PRP Manufacturing (SA): supply/cut gaskets at its Dudley Park plant in Adelaide.
The contracts build on previous prototyping orders with local companies including BlueScope Steel AIS, Infrabuild Steel Centre, Intertek, MG Engineering, Altrad, Novafast International, Century Engineering and Mackay Consolidated Industries. The Hunter program is establishing an enduring and uniquely Australian sovereign industrial capability that supports Australia’s continuous naval shipbuilding strategy where Australians will independently design, build and sustain the nation’s next generation of complex warships. Companies can engage the Hunter Frigate Program through its Industry Capability Network (ICN) page.
Craig Lockhart, Managing Director, BAE Systems Maritime Australia, said: “Establishing a competitive, sustainable and resilient supply chain in Australia is critical to the overall success of the Hunter Class Frigate Program. Each of these three companies bring a unique and important skillset to the construction of frigates in Australia, helping to deliver the best capability to the Navy. We look forward to placing more contracts with suppliers across Australia as the program progresses.”
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