Page 16 - Defence Industry Guide #57

16 DEFENCE NEWS
ADM’s Defence Industry Guide 2023 | Edition 57 | www.defencesuppliers.com.au
AUSTAL DELIVERS THIRD EVOLVED CAPE
AUSTAL Australia has delivered the third of eight Evolved Cape-class Pa- trol Boats (ECCPBs) to the Royal Aus- tralian Navy.
The vessel, ADV Cape Naturaliste, was officially accepted by the Com- monwealth.
“Austal has now delivered three Evolved Capes to the Royal Australian Navy since the contract was signed in May 2020. Our productivity has im- proved with each new vessel, to the point where Austal is launching a new Evolved Cape after just 12 months con- struction,” Austal Limited CEO Paddy Gregg said.
“The fourth vessel, the future ADV Cape Capricorn, is alongside now and we have four more Evolved Capes at various stages of production, here in Henderson.
“With the continued support of our trusted supply chain partners, the Austal shipbuilding team is well on track to deliver all eight Evolved Cape-
class Patrol Boats to the Navy by mid- 2024, on schedule.
“Austal is leading the way in de- livering effective capability to the Navy and adding value to the Na- tional Naval Shipbuilding Enter- prise and we couldn’t be prouder,” Gregg added.
The 58-metre aluminium mono- hull patrol boat is the third of eight to be delivered to the RAN. The first two Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats, ADV Cape Otway and ADV Cape
ABOVE: The patrol boat is the third of eight Evolved Cape-class to be delivered to the RAN.
Peron were delivered in March and August 2022, respectively.
The Evolved Capes feature new, larger amenities to accommodate up to 32 people, improved quality of life systems and ad- vanced sustainment intelligence systems.
The patrol boats will be utilised for a wide variety of constabulary and na- val missions.
BMT LAUNCHES GRADUATE PROGRAM WITH SHIPS DIVISION
BMT has launched a new collabora- tive graduate program with Ships Division, within Defence’s Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG), to place some of Australia’s best new marine systems engineers and naval architects.
The program sees newly graduated marine systems engineers and naval architects undergo a year-long work
LEFT: BAE Systems Australia will design, build and deliver nine Hunter class frigates to the RAN.
program, shared across BMT and Ships Divi- sion, exposing them to a range of experiences across the shipbuilding
enterprise, including the Hunter Class Frigate Program.
Graduates will receive ongoing sup- port through BMT’s Global Graduate & Apprentice program, which is run- ning alongside the cooperative pro- gram with CASG.
Ships Division will be receiving the graduates on secondment for half of their first year, and for the remainder
of the year, the graduates will be work- ing within the BMT business on a broad range of other multidisciplinary projects, and attending BMT training courses.
“We are thrilled to be working with BMT and to be able to welcome gradu- ates into Team Hunter early in their careers,” Director General Hunter Class Frigate, Commodore Scott Lock- ey, said. “Over the next two decades, Ships Division will progress the most extensive and ambitious shipbuilding program to modernise the Royal Aus- tralian Navy’s fleet.”
“The need for skilled workers, like marine systems engineers and naval architects, will continue to increase. Supporting our graduate cohort to gain access to the projects within CASG’s Ships Division will provide them with a broad experience on which to start their careers.”
BAE SYSTEMS AUSTRALIA
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