Naval Group and Airspeed, a specialist of composites manufacturing based in SA, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to respond to the design competition launched by Lockheed Martin Australia for the masts of the Attack-class submarines.
Naval Group has developed a new carbon composite mast implementing the latest innovations in composites, offering weight, resistance and operational efficiency, but also in terms of integration with the Attack-class platform.
Recently, Steve Barlow, Airspeed’s Managing Director was in France to visit Naval Group’s facilities located at Angoulême-Ruelle and Lorient.
Representatives from Airspeed also took part in a test for Automated Manufacture of Advanced Composites (AMAC) hosted by the Australian Research Council (ARC) Training Centre at the UNSW in November and will be closely involved in the research Naval Group is leading with Australian universities on composites and additive manufacturing.
“Naval Group has developed a solution that will meet all operational requirements of the RAN," François Romanet, Naval Group Pacific CEO said. "Airspeed has impressive capabilities when it comes to composites manufacturing. If successful in the competition, we have decided to start working together as soon as the design phase to ensure these masts will be produced and maintained in SA."
“We are excited to be working on this composites project with Naval Group and believe the Naval Group technical solution is truly unique," Steve Barlow, Managing Director, Airspeed said. "If successful in the competition, the opportunity to work on the Future Submarine Program will be a defining step in the development of our company and our national sovereign capabilities and we look forward to be part of this defining national journey.”