• Garry Lockett and Lee Thompson of Altrad Services at the shipyard in Glasgow.
BAE Systems Australia
    Garry Lockett and Lee Thompson of Altrad Services at the shipyard in Glasgow. BAE Systems Australia
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As preparations continue for the Hunter class build, ASC Shipbuilding has down-selected four companies for blast and paint work during the program’s prototyping phase.

The four are SA-based AFL Services, Broadspectrum, NSW-based Eptec Group, and Altrad Services Asia Pacific.

Representatives from all four Australian companies have attended an industry familiarisation visit to Glasgow, where they inspected and viewed the internal and external paint processes used on the Type 26 Global Combat Ship – the reference ship design for Hunter class. Only one, however, will be awarded the contract.

“It is certainly a great opportunity to be able to see the first Type 26 frigates being built to understand the ship and compartments complexity in order to provide the best value for money solution,” Joe Viglione, CEO Eptec Group, said.

The blast and paint contract will be awarded in Q3 2020, with the successful company commencing blast and paint work at Osborne Naval Shipyard in November 2020, prior to cut steel on the first of five prototyped blocks.

“Broadspectrum’s visit to the Glasgow shipyard provides us an excellent opportunity to see first-hand the layout and level of complexity of the Type 26 frigates,” Mike McDowell, General Manager Defence Support Services for Broadspectrum, said.

The two-year prototyping phase will begin in December 2020 at Osborne Naval Shipyard in SA.  The five prototype blocks will still be under construction and outfitting when work on the first frigate commences in 2022.

“We have begun issuing procurement packs to the market for Australian companies to participate in the Hunter program’s prototyping phase, and we are looking forward to awarding these contracts throughout 2020 and beyond,” Ross Hillman, Supply Chain Director, ASC Shipbuilding, said.“During prototyping we are striving to achieve more than 90 per cent industry content, which is a combination of materials and labour during the two-year phase.

“That is why we are delighted to facilitate industry engagements, such as this supplier visit to the UK.”

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