BAE Systems Australia has signed an agreement to create an Australian Power and Propulsion Team (P&P Team) to harness what it sees as its global expertise derived from projects including the Royal Navy's Type 26 and Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier programs.
The P&P Team, which includes David Brown Santasalo, L3, Naval Group, MTU/ Penske and Rolls Royce, each an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) of Power and Propulsion systems, have committed to work collaboratively with BAE Systems to transfer knowledge and capability to Australia.
BAE sees the objective of the local P&P team as being the establishment of a sovereign capability in power and propulsion systems from construction to maintenance and also development. Its plan involves the transfer technology and intellectual property (IP) to Australia; set up and/or expansion of local OEM offices; partnering with academic institutions to develop the next generation of engineers; and developing a viable P&P systems export industry.
“Working with the Commonwealth Government and the Royal Australian Navy, P&P Team members will bring their combined expertise of test and proving Power & Propulsion systems on such platforms as the RN’s Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carriers, optimising the test, training and maintenance solutions for future Australian naval platforms, ” BAE Systems Sea 5000 managing director Nigel Stewart said.
“We are all committed to further develop these technologies in Australia to help create and sustain advanced manufacturing jobs and to help develop skills that will be attractive not just in Australia but for the global market.”
Rolls Royce general manager (ANZ) Rob Madders said growing Australian capability through the construction and maintenance of the complex systems that enable a naval frigate to operate, required the OEM to commit to fully transferring required technical information.
“Through the P&P Team, Rolls Royce and the other companies which BAE Systems has assembled for its P&P team, will do precisely that.”