Industry: Navantia Congratulates (AUS) Navy on the Commissioning of HMAS Hobart

HMAS Hobart (File Photo)

The commissioning of HMAS Hobart (III) into service by the Royal Australian Navy on Saturday, 23 September 2017 marks the achievement of a major milestone for both Navantia Australia and the Australian shipbuilding industry and workforce. The ship was built under the AWD Alliance.

Navantia commenced operating in Australia in 2006 when the AWD Project was just beginning. Since that time and its selection in 2007 as ship designer, Navantia has worked closely with Australia and Australian industry to bring this ship into reality.

“Navantia Australia is very proud of our role as ship designer and shipbuilding management services provider for the AWD Alliance,” said Donato Martínez, Navantia Australia’s managing director. “Through our experience in the AWD program, Navantia Australia has developed strong partnerships with Australian industry and a deep understanding of the Royal Australian Navy and Australian Defence Force requirements.” 

News Story: Aussie warship project to be delayed for two years by local companies - minister

BAE Systems Type 26 Global Combat Ship for SEA 5000

CANBERRA, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- A 28-billion-U.S.-dollar Australian warship project could be delayed for two years if local companies are handed the contract, a government minister has warned.

The Future Frigates project will see nine new anti-submarine warfare frigates designed and built to replace Australia's existing Anzac frigate fleet.

The Australian bid to build the ships is being led by South Australia's ASC and Western Australia's Austal but Spain's Navantina, Britain's BAE Systems and Italy's Fincantieri have also been shortlisted for the project.

Despite an initial promise that the ships would be built in Australia, the Defence Department has convinced the government that the Australian-built clause should be "optional" rather than "mandated."

Christopher Pyne, Australia's defence industry minister, said: "Advice from the Department of Defence is that changing the request for tender to mandate a particular shipbuilder would result in a delay of at least two years in the Future Frigates program."

Read the full story at Xinhua

--

PacificSentinel: I think people need to remember three things, first of all the project was moved forward by two or three years in the first place, so a two year delay would put it back on the original time table, the second thing is the reason it was moved forward in the first place, which was to build a local shipbuilding industry, so sending the construction overseas defeats the original purpose anyway, the third thing is that the ANZAC class Frigates have just finished an upgrade that should see them more than capable of lasting for an additional 2 years.

Think Tank: Sea, air, land and space updates (16-Aug-2017)

Jack Viola, Eliza Chapman, Harley Comrie and Jacqueline Westermann

Sea state

It looks like the Russian government might have spoofed naval GPS in the Baltic Sea. A report from an American ship says that the GPS placed the ship at an airport 25 nautical miles from its actual position at the Russian port of Novorossiysk. GPS spoofing has been worrying experts for some time, but this is thought to be the first time the technique has been used ‘in the wild’. These technologies are of such concern that some countries, such as South Korea, have been developing alternative navigation systems in case of an attack on GPS.

Navantia of Spain has submitted its response to the request for tender for Australia’s future frigate project. The proposed F-5000 anti-submarine warfare vessel is an evolution of Navantia’s Hobart-class guided missile destroyer, currently used by the Australian navy, and will draw on lessons from Navantia’s F-310 for Norway.

The Chinese navy has conducted a live-fire drill in the Yellow Sea, which separates China from the Korean peninsula. During the exercise, ‘various missiles, dozens of torpedoes and hundreds of shells’ were fired. China’s defence ministry claimed that the drill was a regularly scheduled military exercise, but some pundits believe it was a response to North Korea’s recent missile tests.

News Story: Navantia pitches F-5000 design for Future (Aus) Frigates bid

Navantia Australia has submitted its response to the Commonwealth’s Request for Tender for the Sea 5000 Future Frigate program with what it regards as “a comprehensive plan for a leading edge anti-submarine warfare (ASW) vessel and Australia’s continuous shipbuilding industry”.

The F-5000, an evolution of the soon to be commissioned Navantia-designed Hobart Class DDG, will be designed locally to meet specific requirements of the Royal Australian Navy, and built in Adelaide using expertise, experience and equipment from Australia, according to the company.

With capabilities based on the Hobart Class, the F-5000 also incorporates lessons learnt from the operational requirements of the Navantia designed and built Norwegian F-310 ASW frigate. The F-5000 will also provide operational flexibility and force multiplication by incorporating 48 strike length missile cells, a Mk45 5” gun, an advanced above water sensor suite, and integration of the MH-60R combat helicopter and UAV featured in the F-5000’s design.

Navantia says that incorporating the Navantia-SAGE Automation Group’s (NSAG) Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS), which will already be operated by 1,500 men and women of the Navy across seven existing naval platforms, additional training requirements will be reduced and the Adelaide based NSAG will continue to grow as a key input to capability.

“By using an in service Australian ship as our reference to build the F-5000, we will be ensuring that Australia’s future ASW frigate is able to seamlessly integrate into the RAN’s fleet and provide the savings through economies of scale for shipbuilding, training, maintenance and supply support.” Navantia Australia’s Donato Martínez said.

Read the full story at Australian Defence

News Story: Britain makes pitch for massive Australia warship contract - report

BAE Systems Type 26 for Australia's SEA-5000 program

Britain's defence secretary Wednesday made a strong push to build Australia's next fleet of warships, saying the frigates he proposes are best placed to hunt "Russian and Chinese submarines" amid regional tensions.

Australia earlier this year detailed a massive Aus$89 billion (US$70.4 billion) shipbuilding strategy, including constructing new submarines and frigates, in the nation's largest peacetime naval investment.

Navantia's F-100 Frigate for Australia's SEA-5000 program

The big increase in defence spending comes as Beijing flexes its muscle in the region through a military build-up in the contested South China Sea, and as tensions remain high on the Korean peninsula.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon made the pitch to build the nine frigates as part of a Aus$35 billion project ahead of annual Australia-Britain defence and foreign minister talks in Sydney this week.

Fincantieri's FREMM for Australia's SEA-5000 program

Three designers are vying for the massive contract -- Britain's BAE Systems, Italy's Fincantieri and Spain's Navantia -- which is described by Canberra as currently the world's largest frigate shipbuilding programme of its kind.

"You need in a region that is now as unstable and tense as it is, as you've decided, some anti-submarine hunting capability and the very latest capability," Fallon told The Sydney Morning Herald.

Read the full story at SpaceWar

News Story: Indian Navy formally launches submarine acquisition program

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — The Indian Navy has issued a request for information for six air-independent propulsion-enabled submarines under Project 75I, a program worth more than $12 billion. However, analysts say the process will take time since the purchase would take place under the new Strategic Parters policy.

The RFI was issued to six foreign shipyards, including Rubin Design Bureau of Russia, Naval Group (formerly DCNS) of France, Navantia of Spain, Saab of Sweden, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan and ThyssenKrupp of Germany, eliciting a response on AIP-enabled submarine capabilities.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is a surprise addition, according to an Indian Ministry of Defence official, because Japanese submarines can be expensive.

Once the overseas shipyards respond to the RFI, a formal request for proposal will be issued. Based on the RFP responses, the MoD will shortlist the shipyards, which could take a minimum of two years, the MoD official said.

A strategic partner will be selected from domestic shipyards, and the companies will join to compete for the project under the Strategic Partners policy

“As per the policy document, the overseas shipyards would be shortlisted based on range, depth and scope of technology transfer offered in identified areas, extent of indigenous content proposed [and] extent of ecosystem of Indian vendors/manufacturers,” said Jayant Damodar Patil, the head of Larsen & Toubro’s defense and aerospace division.

”MoD would short list three to four overseas shipyards from amongst the six based on the above criterion,” Patil added.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Report: Russia, Germany in Race for Indian Navy's $7.8 Billion Submarine Tender

INS Kalvari first of the P-75 Submarines built by MDL

India’s Ministry of Defense has asked six foreign shipbuilders to respond to the Indian Navy’s long-delayed Project 75 India (P-75I) program, which is worth over $7.8 billion.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — The request for information (RFI) has been sent to six selected overseas naval shipbuilders asking for details about locally building six diesel-electric submarines under newly-formulated strategic partnership model under which India’s private defense shipbuilder will collaborate with a foreign manufacturer.

Official sources told Sputnik that Indian Navy had issued RFI on July 19 to Russia’s Rosoboronexport Rubin Design Bureau, France’s Naval Group, Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Spain’s Navantia, and Sweden’s Saab.

Companies will have to respond to the Indian Navy’s request by September 15 this year with operational details of their respective submarines with air-independent propulsion (AIP) systems and anti-surface, anti-submarine and land-attack capabilities.

AUS: Update on HMAS Canberra and Adelaide

HMAS Adelaide and Canberra (© Australian DoD)

HMA Ships Adelaide and Canberra are due to complete their maintenance period this week after rectification of emergent issues with their propulsion systems.

HMAS Adelaide is due to leave the dry dock at Navy’s Fleet Base East today. Once undocked, HMAS Adelaide will undergo sea trials and a return to its operational capability program over the next few months.

HMAS Canberra completed initial propulsion sea trials in May, which together with advice from industry partners indicates Canberra is able to return to sea on the 29 Jun 17 and will participate in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2017.

Industry: NAVANTIA starts construction of the first AOR for the Australian Navy

BAC Cantabria (Image: Wiki Commons)

Navantia has started the construction of the first AAOR B217 logistic support vessel for the Australian Navy at its Fene facility, with the first steel cutting ceremony for block 220-3. 

The cut sheet has dimensions of 8 meters long by 1.8 wide and weighs 1,024 kgs. 

The contract, signed between Navantia and the Australian Government on May 9, 2016, includes the design and construction of two logistical vessels, with option to one more, as well as the maintenance of the same for an initial period of five years. 

The two ships, based on the "BAC Cantabria" built by Navantia for the Spanish Navy and adapted to certain Australian requirements, will be built in Navantia shipyards in the Bay of Ferrol. 

It supposes 3 million hours of work for this zone, as well as 35,000 hours derived from the manufacture and supply of the main motors, diesel generators and reducers that will be realized in the shipyard of Cartagena. To this must be added the 35,000 of the Integrated Platform Control System. With regard to its impact on employment, about 1,800 direct and indirect workers will be generated annually until 2020, the date of delivery of the second unit. Of these, more than 330 would be direct employees, more than 530 employees of the auxiliary industry and more than 900 would be indirect employees generated by other suppliers.

Navantia << Translation by Google Translate

Industry: First Air Warfare Destroyer Hobart accepted by Defence

16 June 2017 – Osborne Naval Shipyard. Today, the Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) Alliance celebrated the Government’s provisional acceptance of the first destroyer, Hobart, at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia.

Hobart is the first of three destroyers being built and integrated by the AWD Alliance which comprises the Department of Defence, Raytheon Australia and ASC with support from Navantia. In the coming months, Hobart will transit from Adelaide to Sydney where she will be commissioned into service by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) later this year.

AWD Alliance General Manager Paul Evans said today’s provisional acceptance is a testament to more than 5,000 Australian shipbuilders and systems integrators who have worked on the AWD program over the past decade.

News Story: Australian Naval Shipbuilders Team Up

Australia's naval shipbuilders Austal and ASC Shipbuilding have agreed to act together to compete for the construction of Australia's Future Frigates program in partnership with the overseas designer yet to be chosen by the government.

“The Austal/ASC Shipbuilding teaming arrangement offers a compelling, low risk, Australian shipbuilding solution for each of the three shortlisted international designers; BAE, Fincantieri and Navantia,” Austal CEO, David Singleton said.

“This partnership will bring Austal’s unparalleled record in aluminium shipbuilding, exports and operational efficiency to combine with ASC Shipbuilding’s expertise in steel warship manufacturing,” he said.

Austal has sold more than 255 ships to 100 customers in 44 countries, including the U.S.

Read the full story at MarEx

Industry: NSAG joint venture (Navantia Australia and SAGE) wins contract to supply Integrated Platform Management Systems

Navantia and NSAG have signed a $2.8m purchase order which will see NSAG supply the Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS) to the Royal Australian Navy's AOR (Auxiliary Oil Replenishment) ships currently under construction under Defence’s SEA1654 program. The order was signed in Adelaide on 23rd. May.

A critical control system on-board a Navy vessel, the IPMS is key to the safety of sailors and provides a significant control over ship operation. The IPMS developed by NSAG has already been installed on the two Canberra Class Amphibious Assault Ships and aboard the three Hobart Class Destroyers.

NSAG, a Navantia Australia and SAGE Automation Joint Venture will install the enclosures and consoles and provide IPMS support under a 5-year support contract.

Navantia Australia’s Managing Director Francisco Barón has welcomed the announcement and used the occasion to highlight the importance of partnering with Australian experts to contribute to the Australian ship building industry.

News Story: Australia's two new $1.5 billion warships may have design flaws, navy chiefs reveal

HMAS Adelaide and HMAS Canberra (© Australian DoD)

David Wroe

Propulsion problems on two new warships which cost taxpayers $3 billion could be the consequence of fundamental design flaws, navy chiefs have revealed, as they confirmed at least one of the vessels will miss major drills with the US next month.

One of the two ships, the HMAS Adelaide, has been dry-docked at Garden Island in Sydney Harbour so naval engineers and the manufacturers can open up the propeller system and examine whether the problems are as simple as parts being poorly fitted or something deeper.

Chief of Navy Tim Barrett and Rear Admiral Adam Grunsell, head of maritime systems at Defence's capability and sustainment group, acknowledged there could be a design problem, though they stressed it was still being investigated.

Such a fundamental problem would raise the likelihood the ship's overseas manufacturers would bear the cost under warranty.

"Am I disappointed? Yes. We were not expecting to find this,"  Vice Admiral Barrett said in a briefing in Canberra on Friday.

What is known is that oils have seeped into sections in which they don't belong within the external propulsion pods that drive and steer the ship. In the Adelaide, metal particles have also been found in the oil.

Read the full story at Sydney Morning Herald

News Story: Australia prime minister - Shipbuilding plan is 'an end to the boom and bust pattern'

A Hobart class (AWD) Destroyer under-construction at the

Osborne Naval Shipyard (ASC) 

By: Nigel Pittaway

MELBOURNE, Australia – Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull launched Australia's long-awaited naval shipbuilding plan on May 16, including the construction of submarines, frigates and offshore patrol vessels, costing A$89 billion (US $66.12 billion), in Australian shipyards. 

Turnbull launched the shipbuilding program with Defence Minister Marise Payne and Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne at Osborne in South Australia, where the majority of construction work will take place. 

“This is a great national enterprise. This is nation building. This is an end to the boom and bust pattern that we’ve seen with shipbuilding in Australia,” Turnbull said. “This is the largest investment in our defense capability of our Navy ever in peace time.” 

Under the plan, the government will invest in the rolling acquisition of 12 conventionally-powered submarines under Project Sea 1000 (Future Submarine), the continuous build of nine frigates under Project Sea 5000 (Future Frigate) and a follow-on class of surface combats; and a continuous build program for minor naval vessels. 

The minor naval vessels build program is already underway with construction of 19 patrol boats to be gifted to Pacific nations under Project Sea 3036, beginning this year at the Austal facility at Henderson in Western Australia.  This will be followed by the Offshore Patrol Vessel program for the Royal Australian Navy under Sea 1180 from 2018, initially commencing at the Osborne Naval Shipyard and transferring to Henderson in 2020. 

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: Indian Navy to buy vessels from private shipyards in policy change

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — In a departure from an earlier policy of awarding big-ticket defense programs to state-owned companies on a nomination basis, the Indian Ministry of Defence has decided to source four landing platform docks from private defense companies.

"MoD will shortly invite revised commercial bids for purchase of four LPD vessels costing around $3 billion from two shortlisted private defense companies because the price validity has expired [last month] and government-owned companies have been dropped from the program," according to a senior MoD official.

Under the 2013 tender, only two LPDs were to be built by a domestic private sector company and the remaining two vessels on nomination basis by state-owned company Hindustan Shipyard Limited.

Only domestic defense companies Larsen & Toubro and Reliance Defence and Engineering Limited, or RDEL — formerly known as Pipavav Defence and Offshore Engineering — could clear the financial and technical compliance completed last year.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Report: India Revises Terms for Naval Transport Dock, Calls Fresh Bids

The Indian government has asked two of its domestic manufacturers to provide fresh commercial bids for manufacturing 20,000-ton landing platform docks (LPD) by the end of this month.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — The government planned earlier to give the contract to both private and government-owned shipbuilders. Now, sources said, it was decided to give the entire four LPD contract to private players upon acceptance of their revised bids under the reworked plan.

The Indian Navy has planned four 20,000 ton LPD for induction in the next decade. India's private manufacturers Reliance Defense and Engineering Limited (RDEL) and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) have cleared the financial and technical tests and have submitted commercial bids to the Indian defense ministry. L&T has a tie-up with Navantia of Spain and RDEL with DCNS of France.

The Navy's proposed LPD ships will have the capacity to carry six main battle tanks, 20 infantry combat vehicles and 40 heavy trucks. Each ship is expected to carry 1,430 personnel, 470 sailors and 900 troops. The Navy expects to close the $2.6 billion LPD contract by the end of this year.

News Story: LHDs remain alongside as Defence investigates propulsion issues

The Navy’s two amphibious assault ships HMAS Canberra and HMAS Adelaide remain tied alongside at Fleet Base East, Sydney while Defence investigates issues with the LHDs’ ‘azipod’ azimuth propulsion systems.

The issue first came to public attention almost a month ago on March 29 when ABC defence reporter Andrew Green reported that both vessels were out of service after propulsion issues were discovered with HMAS Canberra while it was undertaking first of class flight trials with Army and Navy helicopters off the coast of Queensland in March.

“During these activities, a propulsion issue was identified aboard HMAS Canberra and she is currently alongside in Sydney being inspected,” Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Tim Barrett wrote on the Defence website on March 28.

“As a prudent measure, the same inspections were conducted on HMAS Adelaide and identified emergent issues.

“Having identified these emergent issues the ADF has put in place a very deliberate plan to investigate the issue and resolve it.”

However, the issues with the azipod systems remain unresolved, with an April 25 news story in the Daily Telegraph by Matthew Benns reporting that “an investigation found maintenance and oil changes were not being done properly”.

This assertion was disputed by Deputy Chief of Navy Rear Admiral Michael Noonan, who wrote a clarifying “On the Record” statement subsequently posted on the Navy Daily website.

Read the full story at ADBR

News Report: Indian Navy Expects $2.6 Bln Deal for Amphibious Transport Dock by Year End

The Indian Navy has set its target to finalize a $2.6 billion contract for Landing Platform Docks with private Indian shipbuilders by the end of this year.

New Delhi (Sputnik) – “If all goes well, then the Navy is expected to close the LPD contract by end of this year,” Vice Admiral DM Deshpande, Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition, Indian Navy, said in New Delhi.

Indian Navy has planned four 20,000 ton LPD for induction in the next decade. India’s private manufacturers Reliance Defence and Engineering Limited (RDEL) and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) have cleared the financial and technical tests and have submitted commercial bids to the Indian defense ministry. L&T has a tie-up with Navantia of Spain and RDEL with DCNS of France.

Earlier, the government had planned to give the contract to private as well government-owned shipbuilders but reworked it and decided to give all four shipbuilding contract to private players as the public sector shipbuilder had too many orders.

News Story: Australia issues tender request for new frigates

Fincantieri design for SEA5000

by Richard Tomkins

Australia issued Friday a Request for Tender to three companies for its $26.82 billion Future Frigate program. The companies shortlisted contract bidders were BAE Systems, Fincantieri and Navantia.

"Today's announcement shows the Government is on track to begin construction of the Future Frigates in 2020 in Adelaide," Defense Minister Christopher Pyne said in a press release. "The release of the RFT is an important part of the Competitive Evaluation Process which will lead to the government announcing the successful designer for the Future Frigates in 2018."

Navantia design for SEA5000

Pyne said evaluation of the responses to the Future Frigate RFT would commence later this year.

Read the full story at SpaceWar

BAE Systems design for SEA5000

Industry: Lockheed Martin and the Royal Australian Navy’s First Aegis-equipped Hobart Class Destroyer Completes Sea Trials

This milestone represents a significant step towards Australia’s Hobart Class Destroyers joining the Aegis International fleet.

ADELAIDE, Australia, March 13, 2017 – A team of Lockheed Martin engineers and technicians, working with the Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) Alliance team comprised of the Department of Defence, Raytheon Australia, Navantia and ASC Shipbuilding, recently completed five weeks of Sea Acceptance Trials aboard the future HMAS Hobart, first-of-class of Australia’s three new Aegis-equipped Air Warfare Destroyers.

The primary focus of these trials was to test and verify the ship platform and its ability to support the combat system, including demonstration and test of the Aegis combat system operations across multiple warfare areas in an at-sea environment.

The Aegis combat system at-sea testing was successfully conducted by the Hobart Integrated Test Team (ITT), which includes Lockheed Martin engineers and technicians from Australia and the U.S. supporting the Commonwealth and the AWD Alliance team. The team is responsible for testing the Aegis combat system to ensure the equipment is properly installed and functional.