June 20, 2007

Australia picks Navantia designs for A$11 billion naval expansion

Spain's Navantia is the big winner in an Australian $ 11 billion (US$9.3 billion), five ship expansion of the Royal Australian Navy.

The Australian Government has selected the F100 design by Navantia for three next generation Air Warfare Destroyers (AWD) for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

The Spanish design beat out a competing design by Gibbs & Cox based on the U.S. Navy's DDG 51 Arleigh Burke.

And a version of Navantia's 27,000 tonne strategic projection ship has also been chosen for two amphibious ships, beating out a design from France's Armaris based on its Mistral Class LHD.

As well as supplying the designs for both classes, Navantia will build the hulls of the two amphibious ships and parts of the three destroyers.

The first of these Air Warfare Destroyers will be delivered in late 2014, followed by the second and third ships in early-2016 and mid-2017 respectively.

The Australianized F100 AWD Design is described as capable across the full spectrum of joint maritime operations, from area air defense and escort duties, through to peacetime national tasking and diplomatic missions. The Royal Australian Navy will undergo a quantum leap in its air warfare capability when the F100 enters service.

Since entering service with the Spanish Navy, F100s, among their many other tasks, have worked alongside the United States Navy (USN) as the first foreign Aegis equipped ship to be fully integrated into a USN Carrier Strike Group and has successfully been deployed as the flagship of NATO's Maritime Group Standing Reaction Force.

The Australian government says that while the selection of the platform is a significant milestone for the AWD program, the work undertaken to date has demonstrated the value of the selection of the Aegis Combat System in 2004 as the central element of the AWD's war-fighting capabilities.

The selection of the F100 follows two years of detailed research and simulation to determine the best ship to meet the needs of the Australian Defence Force through to the middle of this century.

The F100 has been developed with modern accommodation requirements in mind and has a crew of around 200. It also provides the Royal Australian Navy with a growth path to accommodate tomorrow's naval warfare technologies.

In selecting the F100, the Australian Government says it has ensured the Navy will take delivery of an Aegis equipped AWD before any potential maritime air warfare capability gap eventuates.

The F100 is an existing design that is in service with the Spanish Navy. This substantially reduces the cost and schedule risks traditionally associated with a project of this size and complexity.

Raytheon Australia has been confirmed as the mission systems integrator for the Air Warfare Destroyer. Raytheon Australia will be contracted to complete the design, development and procurement of the Australianized Combat System.

The project will shortly move into the Build Phase.

Australian Industry will deliver products and services for around 55 per cent of the AWD program over the next 15 years which will be followed by high value through-life support contracts into the middle of the century.

While Adelaide based ASC will conduct the final assembly of the AWDs, around 70 per cent of the ship modules will be built at other shipbuilding sites around Australia, potentially including sites in Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.

AMPHIBIOUS SHIPS

The Australian Defense Force (ADF) will obtain what's described as "one of the largest and most advanced amphibious deployment systems in the world" following the Government's selection today of Tenix as preferred tenderer for the supply of the two amphibious ships.

Subject to successful contract negotiations, the preferred tenderer is Tenix. Defence will now enter negotiations with Tenix leading to a contract for delivery of the ships between 2012 and 2014.

With their integrated helicopters and watercraft the ships will be able to land over a thousand personnel by sea and air, along with their vehicles, the new Abrams tanks, artillery and supplies. Each ship will also be equipped with medical facilities, including two operating theaters and a hospital ward.

Approximately one quarter of the construction of the amphibious ships will take place in Australia. The construction of the superstructure and the majority of the fitout will occur in Melbourne, with an estimated value of up to A$500 million. The majority of combat system design and integration work will take place in Adelaide, worth up to A$100 million for the South Australia economy. There will also be further work contracted to other states.

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