ROLLS-ROYCE COMMENCE FINAL STAGE OF AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY PARTNER SELECTION FOR SEA5000

23 March 2018

ROLLS-ROYCE COMMENCE FINAL STAGE OF AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY PARTNER SELECTION FOR SEA5000

Rolls-Royce has commenced the final stages of its Australian industry selection process by announcing a shortlist of potential Industry partners, to manufacture equipment for the SEA5000 program, should the BAE Systems Global Combat Ship – Australia (GCS-A) be selected by the Royal Australian Navy.

BAE Systems is one of the contenders for the SEA5000 program, offering the GCS-A, a variant of its Type 26 design, currently being built for the UK Royal Navy. Rolls-Royce is providing a wide range of mission critical products to the Type 26, including the MT30 gas turbine, Mission Bay Handling System, propellers, steering gear and stabilisers and refuelling at sea equipment.

Australian companies selected by Rolls-Royce will lead the manufacturing and assembly of key components of GCS(A), including the MT30 gas turbine enclosure and the fixed bolted blade propellers.

The MT30 gas turbine enclosure provides the noise suppression, controls, air intake, exhaust outlet and auxiliary supplies necessary to run the most modern, power dense, marine turbine in the world.  

The fixed, bolted blade propellers are specifically designed for this application to be highly efficient and meet the stringent low underwater-radiated noise signature required of GCS-A. A ship designed from the keel up, to provide the best possible platform for Anti-Submarine Warfare.

Three potential industry partners now begin the final offer definition phase for the MT30 enclosure: Marand, located in Melbourne Victoria; Hofmann Engineering, located in Perth, Melbourne, Bendigo and Newcastle, and Century Engineering located in Adelaide, South Australia.

Two companies have been shortlisted for the manufacture of the propellers; Hofmann Engineering and Veem Engineering Group based in Perth.

Rob Madders, General Manager, Rolls-Royce Naval Marine Australia & New Zealand, said: “Throughout this process, Rolls-Royce has been fully cognisant of the efforts Australian industry has been expending, so we have moved to shortlist as soon as possible. We are pleased to be nearing the time when we can start working with our industry partners for the crucial job of manufacturing and delivering our products for BAE Systems Global Combat Ship – Australia.   Together with our industry partners we are confident that we can provide an important capability that will support naval shipbuilding and sustainment for the lifetimes of these vessels and beyond”.     

The shortlisted companies will be competing to join the Rolls-Royce global supply chain and potentially develop export opportunities on future naval programs.  Following a rigorous and demanding selection process, the shortlisted companies will now undergo a final offer definition phase, before the final selection by May 2018.  The company will be announcing further shortlists for the manufacture and delivery of its products in the coming weeks; these will include the ship-to-ship refuelling at sea equipment, the mission bay handling system, steering gear and stabilisers.