Thales and Austal sign maritime MOU

An MOU signed and announced aboard the HMAS Vampire at the Australian National Maritime Museum has launched a strategic partnership that will bring together two of Australia’s trusted maritime defence companies to deliver powerful future maritime capabilities for Australia, New Zealand and beyond.

It combines the decades long continuous shipbuilding legacy of Austal with Thales’ global technology, sensor and integration capabilities to deliver national security outcomes in the maritime domain throughout the Indo-Pacific region. The partnership will focus on four key areas including shipbuilding, maritime autonomy, international markets and sustainment across Australia’s surface and undersea fleets.

Under the agreement, Thales Australia and Austal will:

• Incorporate Thales technologies into Austal platforms in the Indo-Pacific market.
• Develop new maritime capabilities for the Indo-Pacific market.
• Collaborate on the development and integration of maritime autonomous systems to meet the future needs of Australia, New Zealand and the Indo-Pacific region.
• Develop and build maritime capabilities to meet the future requirements for the Royal New Zealand Navy.
• Strengthen regional sustainment across Australia, New Zealand and the Indo-Pacific.

Jeff Connolly, CEO Thales Australia & New Zealand said: “This partnership solidifies the collaborative relationship between Austal and Thales and ensures we are able to leverage the expertise and resources of both companies to deliver integrated solutions and ensure strategic leadership. It is an opportunity to develop cutting edge maritime capabilities and enhance operational capability to meet the rapidly changing demands of modern naval operations. Under the MOU, we’re bringing advanced technology and the highest performance vessels together to reshape the future of maritime security, through innovation, collaboration and a deep understanding of the evolving maritime environment.”

Paddy Gregg, CEO Austal, said: “As Australia’s strategic shipbuilder, Austal is proud to partner with Thales to strengthen our nation’s sovereign maritime capability. By combining Austal’s proven shipbuilding expertise with Thales’ world-leading technology and integration capabilities, we are strengthening Australia’s ability to design, build and sustain the next generation of naval vessels right here at home. Together, we will deliver innovative, export-ready solutions that not only enhance regional maritime security but also create high-skilled Australian jobs and enduring industrial capability across the Indo-Pacific.”

Thales exports military grade ceramics from Australia to US

For decades, Thales has manufactured world class sonar systems and components in Australia that support both Australia and allied nations, including AUKUS partner nations, the United Kingdom and the United States. In a new first, this support now extends to Massa Products Corporation. Massa, based in Hingham, Massachusetts, has a long and proud history (from WWII through today) in providing advancements and quality production of sonar and undersea warfare capability to the United States and allied navies. This collaboration marks an important step towards ensuring a robust supply chain in sonar capability between AUKUS partners.

This Australian produced Piezo Electric Ceramic will form a key component in the final production of advanced sonar transducers and products completed in the United States by Massa. The Thales Acoustic Centre of Excellence in Australia is a unique capability within the Australian defence industry and forms the basis of advanced sonar and towed array capabilities manufactured and sustained on a sovereign basis for the Royal Australian Navy. This Centre of Excellence is housed within the Thales facility in Rydalmere, Western Sydney. Thales employs more than 450 people at this site, who develop and export specialised sonar and acoustic products to the United States. This collaboration supports the development and deployment of next-generation maritime capabilities to address evolving threats.

Troy Stephen, Vice President – Underwater Systems, Avionics, Secure Communications & Information Systems (UVX), Thales in Australia said: “Massa is one of the true pioneering companies of sonar capability with a history stretching back over 80 years. We share a common value in respecting the role we both play in supporting and enabling our respective Navies to achieve their mission at sea. It is a pleasure to be able to collaborate with Massa in the provision of key components manufactured in Australia that will now go into their own sonar products and capabilities.”

F. Massa Stancavish, President/CEO & CINO – Massa Products Corporation said: “Massa believes in strength and growth through collaboration and partnership. For the AUKUS partnership to truly be successful, it requires companies and governments to come together to support submarines and defence in new and innovative ways. Thales Australia and Massa Products Corporation share a leading and synergistic role in providing, creating and manufacturing the necessary sonar transducers and systems required to detect and defend life in the free world.”

For Editorial Inquiries Contact:
Editor Kym Bergmann at kym.bergmann@venturamedia.net
For Advertising Inquiries Contact:
Group Sales Director Simon Hadfield at simon.hadfield@venturamedia.net