Naval Group Australia has opened expressions of interest for the purchase of $100 million worth of tools, equipment and manufactured items from local suppliers that will be used at the new Attack Class shipyard in Adelaide.
As construction progresses on the new and modern shipyard being built as Osborne ahead of the building of a submarine hull qualification section in 2023, Naval Group Australia is offering local suppliers the opportunity to deliver around 1000 different items to be used at the facility.
It will include the purchase of both ready-made and custom manufactured items from suppliers.
Released through Naval Group Australia’s Industry Capability Network portal, the purchase plan is targeted to Australia suppliers and seeks the delivery of items ranging from hand and machine tools, transport trollies, office equipment, welding machines, scaffolding, whiteboards, tanks and sumps and pumps, personal protective equipment, workshop benches and a plasma cutter.
The announcement is in addition to the release of Naval Group’s almost $900 million local manufacturing package, which seeks tier-one Australian partners to build more than 20 highly- sophisticated pieces of equipment which will be included in the 12 new Attack Class submarines.
Naval Group Australia Chief Executive Officer John Davis said the Attack Class submarine design and construction project would deliver 50-years of benefits to local workers and suppliers.
“Australia’s Future Submarine Program is on the cusp of an exciting new phase, as a new and modern new shipyard rises from the ground and preparations for construction begin,” he said.
“The opportunity for Australian suppliers to get involved in this latest $100 million investment in tools and equipment for the shipyard is significant, as we continue growing the local supply chain.
“We will be targeting this purchase to small and medium Australian businesses, and aiming to build long-term relationships that will continue throughout this multi-decade submarine program.”
Naval Group global Chief Executive Officer Pierre Eric Pommellet said significant progress was being made on the Attack Class project, which was supporting and creating Australian jobs.
“Ensuring that at least 60 per cent of the Attack Class contract value is spent locally will create hundreds of Australian jobs, for the long term, in new supply chains around the country,” he said.
“The local teams are working hard to build new supply chains, create sovereign capabilities and design a new and advanced submarine which will be built for Australia’s unique conditions.”
Naval Group is working closely with Australian Naval Infrastructure (ANI), which is responsible for the construction of the shipyard. The first sod for the Future Submarine shipyard at Osborne north was turned in December 2018 and construction has advanced on the Platform Land-Based Test Facility, which is on schedule for hand-over to Naval Group Australia next year. With the fabrication hall and the main assembly hall, it is one of three major structures at Adelaide’s new Osborne submarine construction yard to be used in the delivery of the Attack Class vessels.
The Platform Land-Based Test Facility will be used to verify and refine the performance of critical Attack Class submarine propulsion systems. This will allow for the examination of the submarine’s main propulsion train in a controlled environment before inclusion into the overall platform.
More than 2000 businesses in Australia have now registered their interest with the Naval Group Australia Industry Capability Network portal. This provides an opportunity to become part of the wider domestic supply chain that is being built to sustain the 50-year submarine program.
