BAE Systems Australia has welcomed today’s announcement by Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne to award a five year contract worth $70m for the sustainment of the three Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyers as they are delivered and transitioned into service.
The contract creates approximately new 50 highly skilled positions, based in Adelaide and Sydney, to manage the delivery of support as the ships transition out of the build phase and into service with the Royal Australian Navy. The three Hobart Class Destroyers will be based at Garden Island, NSW. BAE Systems already has a large presence at Sydney’s Garden Island naval base.
As managing contractor, BAE Systems will develop and manage the supporting industry supply chain to deliver the full range of sustainment services required during the five year period. The company will also provide asset management and a suite of other services to ensure the ships are both mission capable and available for service.
“This is a new opportunity that allows us to develop from the ground up a leading edge sustainment model for the entire service life of these new ships,” BAE Systems Australia CEO, Glynn Phillips, said. “This will add significant depth to our national maritime sustainment business and it also helps contribute to a stronger and more sustainable Australian based defence capability.”
The contract builds on BAE Systems’ successful maritime sustainment partnerships including the FFG Enterprise which is a collaboration to sustain the Adelaide class frigates and the Warship Asset Management Alliance which responsible for the sustainment and upgrade of the ANZAC frigate fleet.