Strengthening Australia’s naval sustainment industry

Key stakeholders from across the Australian defence industry engineering ecosystem to reinforce collaboration, transparency, and innovation in maritime sustainment came together as part of three Designer Support Contractor (DSC) and Technical Partner Network (TPN) Forums hosted by Navantia Australia in August 2025. The forums emphasised the evolving nature of TPN engagement, shaped by value-for-money principles, Commonwealth needs, and industry capabilities and reinforced Navantia Australia’s commitment to long-term sustainment excellence. Julio Pinilla, Navantia Australia’s DSC Program Director, opened with insights and reaffirmed the continuing objectives of the TPN. “The TPN was established to foster strategic partnerships between Navantia Australia, the Commonwealth of Australia (Commonwealth), and industry subcontractors and contribute to the development of the Australian naval shipbuilding and sustainment industry,” said Pinilla. Held in both Sydney and Melbourne, the Forums were attended by representatives from the Australian Department of Defence. Paul Heiskanen, Executive Director – Major Surface Ships, and Mark Jones, Executive Officer to Director General Major Ships Sustainment, emphasised the DSC’s integration within the Maritime Sustainment Model, highlighting its critical role in supporting the Royal Australian Navy’s operational readiness. The DSC contract provides the 27 TPN members with clear pathways for engagement and contribution and plan for performance. Through the Annual Work Program, the Five-Year Engineering Work Program (FYEWP) and the Annual Engineering Work Program (AEWP), these cornerstone documents enable Navantia Australia as the DSC to identify structured tasks, forecast skill requirements, allocate resources, and perform risk monitoring activities. The TPN has been designed to enable flexibility for members to align their capabilities with Navantia Australia’s engineering requirements under various engagement models – direct resource placement within the DSC organisation; engineering work package orders via AEWL; or ad hoc support through S&Q work packages. Attendees were introduced to the DSC Points of Contact across Supply Chain, Commercial, and Quality teams. These individuals serve as the backbone of TPN engagement, offering guidance, oversight, and escalation support All forums concluded with a Q&A session and networking session, reinforcing Navantia Australia’s commitment to transparency and collaboration. As the DSC and TPN continue to evolve, Navantia remains focused on delivering innovation where it matters — ensuring Australia’s naval capabilities are supported by a resilient and responsive engineering network. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Kym Bergmann at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Group Sales Director Simon Hadfield at [email protected]