• The project will provide the first stage of essential, land-based facilities and infrastructure requirements at Fleet Base West.
Defence
    The project will provide the first stage of essential, land-based facilities and infrastructure requirements at Fleet Base West. Defence
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Updated 12/03/21

The RAN has released significant infrastructure works to market in the first stage of the Navy Capability Infrastructure Subprogram – 3 Building Works, involving the construction of new facilities and infrastructure at HMAS Stirling and Henderson in WA.

NCIS-3 is one of five NCIS works packages planned at HMAS Stirling and Henderson, all serving to deliver facilities to support the operation of the new replenishment ships, Arafura Class OPVS, and Hunter Class frigates.

Expressions of Interest for the NCIS-3 project close on 19th March 2021. Requests for Tender will open in April and the project is scheduled for completion in late 2024. Full details can also be accessed through ADM’s Tender Bulletin which will also include any updates to the program as they come to light.

The project will provide the first stage of essential, land-based facilities and infrastructure requirements at Fleet Base West, primarily to support the introduction into service of Navy’s new fleet of ships; the new Supply class replenishment ships, the Arafura Class Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) and the Hunter Class frigates.

Works will also include a variety of new buildings and facilities fit to support the increased number of navy personnel living and training onsite, including office accommodation, warehousing, living-in accommodation and supporting services infrastructure.  

Site establishment for the project, managed by Lendlease, began last month. The HMAS Stirling works are scheduled to commence this month and will be completed in August 2024, and the Henderson works are scheduled to commence in August 2021 for completion in July 2023.

Targets have reportedly been set in place to ensure the maximisation of local industry and indigenous business enterprise participation.

“A Local Industry Capability Plan has been prepared for the project, with a target of 85 per cent local participation during the delivery phase,” a Defence spokesperson told ADM. “Local participation has been defined as being within 50 kilometres of the project sites.

“Subcontractor and supplier trade packages have been structured to maximise the opportunities for local business to be involved in the project. 

“Further, the project is targeting four per cent Indigenous participation by contract price.”

Defence’s investment into the new ships and their supporting infrastructure form part of the government’s $75 billion planned expenditure on maritime capability through to 2029.

The 12 new Arafura Class OPVs are currently under construction under Project Sea 1180, and will be replacing Australia’s current Armidale class and Cape Class patrol boats. The first two vessels are being built at ASC Shipbuilding’s yard at Osborne, and production for the remaining 10 will move to WA, where the keel of Ship 3 (Pilbara) was laid at Civmec’s Henderson facility last September in what was a key milestone for the program. The first of the OPVs is scheduled to enter full service in 2022 on constabulary and border protection duties. 

Meanwhile, prototyping for the Hunter Class frigate program is currently underway at the shipyard in Osborne, with construction scheduled to begin in December 2022. Keep an eye out for the next edition of the print copy of ADM that will be looking at this program in depth. The vessels will begin entering service in the late 2020s replacing the eight Anzac Class frigates, which have been in service since 1996.

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