Hanwha Defence Australia (HDA) has accepted and begun fit out of Stage 2 facilities of the Hanwha Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence (H-ACE), now that works have been completed by construction partner Kapitol and the support of managing contractor, Conscia.
“Stage 2 will allow us to build upon the capability and capacity from Stage 1 opened in 2024, so that we have the ability to run parallel production lines for both the Huntsman and Redback vehicles,” Hanwha Defence Australia and UK/Europe CEO, Ben Hudson, said.
“Hanwha have now invested almost $AUD225 million in the site, making it a strategic asset not just for Australia and South Korea but for the wider region when it comes to both production and future Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul and Upgrade (MROU) work, alongside future opportunities.”
Over the past 12 months, the 32,000 sqm site has expanded to account for the 129 Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) fleet for the Australian Army under Land 400 Phase 3. To date, the facility has been producing the Huntsman Family of Vehicles, under Land 8116.
“Delivering Stage 2 ahead of schedule by a month on a live Defence manufacturing site required absolute discipline in planning, sequencing and decision-making,” Co-Founder and Director at Kapitol, Andrew Deveson, stated.
“By challenging standard delivery methods and working closely with Hanwha Defence Australia and Conscia, we were able to maintain momentum through complexity and provide the certainty needed to move straight into fit-out and parallel production.”
Stage 2 facilities will include: a second production hall, EMI/EMC chamber, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere according to Hanwha, heavy washdown facility, and a finished product store.
Key features of the site, such as the second production hall, have been delivered over one and half months ahead of schedule.
The completed facility has room for two production halls, a 1.2km test track including incline and deep-water test facilities, workshops, systems integration lab, and paint shop.
"Working with the Hanwha team throughout the entire H-ACE journey has been professionally and personally rewarding,” Conscia CEO, Brendan Bilston, highlighted.
“It’s been a collaborative, open and enjoyable partnership from day one, and we’ve valued the trust they’ve placed in us throughout the journey."
Stage 1 of the H-ACE cost $170 million.