Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare today officially opened BAE Systems Australia’s new Canberra office.
Mr Clare congratulated BAE Systems Australia on the key role they play in the Australian defence industry.
“BAE are Australia’s largest Defence contractor and play an important role in helping to deliver and maintain equipment for the Australian Defence Force,” Mr Clare said.
“From Williamtown to Williamstown, the work BAE does is very important to the Australian Defence Force.
“BAE employs over five-and-a-half thousand people in 70 locations around Australia.
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“This work includes delivering Australia’s largest warships, the Landing Helicopter Dock (LHDs) – the first of which has now left Spain and will arrive in Melbourne in around seven weeks’ time.
“The LHDs are bigger than Australia’s last aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne. Each ship can carry a combined arms battle group of more than 1100 personnel, 100 armoured vehicles and 12 helicopters and features a 40-bed hospital.
“BAE also provide a diverse range of support for Defence including constructing blocks for the Air Warfare Destroyers, deep maintenance for our Classic Hornets, deep maintenance of our Black Hawk and Chinook helicopters and ship integration works for the Anti-Ship Missile Defence (ASMD) Program on our ANZAC fleet.”