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At our recent Biannual Reunion, which was held at Bundaberg, Queensland a lot of questions were asked about when the Keel Laying Ceremony will take place. People thought that this may occur in 2011.
Due to the different way of construction, as the modular system is being used opposed to the way ships used to be build, there is no Keel laying. The Ship Builder, ASC in Adelaide will be constructing different modules and they will also be out-sourcing a lot of these modules to other Engineering Companies throughout Australia.
Now I understand that the first of these out-scoured modules has been awarded to a Melbourne company who will be commencing construction on this module sometime in November 2009.
It is expected that this module will be delivered to the wharf at ASC early 2011. We all expect that our next Biannual Reunion will be held in 2011 around September to November. I am informed by ASC that there will be an event of great significance during the period of our Reunion. In view of this I made a personal suggestion that our next Biannual Reunion be held in South Australia to coincide with this event. This decision is of course not up to me but the relevant Committee to decide and organise.
Latest Air Warfare Destroyer Combat System Contracts
04 May 2009The AWD Alliance has announced that it has signed a further two contracts for provision of elements of the combat system for Australia's three Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyers (AWD).
The latest signing mean that the Alliance has in place contracts for the majority of the AWDs' combat systems.
The Alliance has signed a contract worth $40million with Raytheon Missile Systems, USA for the provision of the Very Short Range Defence-Air capability and with Adelaide based Babcock Strachan and Henshaw Australia for the ships' Torpedo Launch Tubes worth $10million. (detail below).
Very Short Range Defence-Air
Phalanx Block 1B Close in Weapons System (CIWS)
Role: The Phalanx Block 1B provides terminal defence against anti-ship missiles and other threats that have penetrated other fleet defences. Phalanx Block 1A is presently in service in the RAN. There is significant evolutionary design in the Block 1B making it in many respects a new generation weapon with many enhancements over the Block 1A currently in RAN service.Equipment: Phalanx Block 1B Close in Weapons System (CIWS)
Supplier: Raytheon Missile Systems (RMS)
RMS is a division of the Raytheon Company that designs, develops, and produces missile systems for U.S. and allied forces, including air-to-air, strike, naval weapon systems, land combat missiles, guided projectiles, and directed energy weapons. RMS will manufacture, assemble and test the equipment necessary to interface the Phalanx to the Hobart Class AWD Platform Combat System via the Australian Tactical Interface.
Value: $40 million
Over the Side Torpedo - Torpedo Launch Tubes (TLTs)
Role: The TLTs interface to the Torpedo Launch Control System and the integrated system enables the Hobart Class AWDs to program and deploy Lightweight Torpedoes in defence against submarine contacts.Equipment: Mk32 Mod9 Surface Vessel Torpedo Tubes (SVTT)
Supplier: Babcock Strachan & Henshaw Australia (BS&HA) is backed by the Babcock International Group Plc. BS&HA operates as a management partner, systems provider/integrator and design services engineer to meet the needs of its customers and projects across the entire "Concept - Assessment - Development - Manufacturing - In-Service - Disposal" (CADMID) cycle.
BS&HA are a local organisation based at Regency Park, Adelaide, with plans to relocate to the Suppliers Precinct at Techport, Osborne adjacent the AWD shipyard in September 2009. BS&HA currently provide Through Life & Materiel Support for the Collins Class Submarine Weapon Discharge System. It specializes in the areas of: Weapon Handling/Deployment Systems, Weapon Discharge Systems, Countermeasure Systems and Integrated Waste Management. BS&HA will undertake, in-country: procurement, assembly, test, installation and set-to-work of the Mk32 Mod9 SVTT for the Hobart Class AWDs.
Value: $10 million
Australian firms win contracts to fit out Air Warfare Destroyer Systems Centre
10 Mar 2010Contracts worth more than $4 million have been awarded to a number of Australian companies for the fit-out of the new Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) Systems Centre at Techport Australia, Adelaide, SA.
AWD Alliance CEO John Gallacher said he is pleased to see these Australian organisations winning work with the $8 billion AWD project.
"These companies will help to provide a comfortable, efficient and high-tech workplace from which Alliance personnel will work to deliver three Hobart Class air warfare destroyers to the Royal Australian Navy.
"It's an important example of how this project has flow down benefits to Australian companies outside of the specific shipbuilding and defence industries."
ASC, on behalf of the AWD Alliance, has signed a contract with property services group, ISIS to complete all aspects of final design, procurement, supply, delivery and set to work of infrastructure, equipment and services in the Systems Centre.
This includes work stations; custom joinery; electrical, mechanical, hydraulic and fire protection services; graphics and interior design; equipment; and project management.
General Manager of ISIS in South Australia Grant Patterson, said his team was excited about the opportunity to work on a collaborative Australian initiative.
Raytheon Australia, on behalf of the AWD Alliance, has signed a contract with leading IT systems integrator Synergy to design, procure, supply, deliver and set to work audio visual systems (including interactive whiteboards, LCD screens, projectors and audio systems), video conference systems and a voice telephony system. Many of these items will be provided by Adelaide's Leedall Presentation Systems.
More than 1300 pieces of loose furniture have been ordered from six Adelaide office furniture suppliers including Living Edge and Schiavello.
Woods Bagot, designers of the fit-out, will provide expert consultancy services to the AWD Alliance, to ensure the final product meets the required specification.
The new AWD headquarters will accommodate 300 staff including personnel from the Commonwealth, ASC, Raytheon Australia, Navantia, Bath Iron Works, Lockheed Martin and the US Navy.
The state-of-the-art facility has been designed and constructed to achieve a 5 Star Green Star rating from the Green Building Council of Australia. Later this year, staff including project managers, systems engineers, naval architects, combat systems engineers, planners and procurement specialists will move from their current base in the eastern suburbs of Adelaide, to the new purpose-built facility adjacent to the ASC Shipyard.
The AWD Alliance is made up of the Defence Materiel Organisation, ASC as the Shipbuilder and Raytheon Australia as the Combat System Systems Engineer.
Construction of Australia's Air Warfare Destroyers Underway in Three States
15 Apr. 2010Three shipyards in three states, hundreds of people and dozens of both large and small contractors across the country have begun constructing Australia's next generation air warfare destroyers.
The CEO of the Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) Alliance, John Gallacher said today the $8 billion project had successfully completed the design phase and had begun construction of the three Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyers (AWDs).
"In South Australia, in Victoria and in New South Wales work is now in full swing on blocks that will come together to form the AWDs.
"At ASC in Adelaide work is well advanced on two blocks including decking and superstructure components a total of 35 metres long and weighing a total of more than 200 tonnes.
"At BAE Williamstown, Victoria work is underway on building the four main 'keel' blocks that, when consolidated at ASC, will be 69 metres long and weigh a total of 450 tonnes; and
"At FORGACS Newcastle, New South Wales work is underway on three central blocks, including super structure, with a total length of 36 metres and weighing a total of more than 200 tonnes," Mr. Gallacher said.
BAE and FORGACS will build 70 per cent of the blocks with the remainder built by ASC. This work is part of the block construction method involving fabricating and pre outfitting hull blocks that are then joined together to form a completed ship.
The blocks constructed in New South Wales and Victoria will be transported by ship or barge to ASC which will consolidate them into the warships.
"At the three shipyards some 500 people are now working directly on building the blocks with the total workforce on the project of 1000.
"Those numbers are growing every day and as the block construction work ramps up so does the number of Australian small to medium enterprises (SMEs) winning work on the project. "This demonstrates the AWD Alliance's commitment to maximise its use of Australian industry capability.
"The block construction work at Williamstown and in Newcastle alone is worth around $500 million and is creating about 500 direct jobs and many more through a wide range of suppliers," Mr. Gallacher said.
"Additionally in the past few months we have seen the opening of ASC's $120 million shipyard and the opening of the South Australian Government's $300 million Common User Facility all driven by the AWD project.
"This $8 billion national project is within budget and on schedule to deliver the first AWD in 2014," Mr. Gallacher said.