Page 19 - Australian Defence Magazine Dec19-Jan20

DECEMBER 2019 – JANUARY 2020 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
DEFENCE BUSINESS PACIFIC 19
NAVAL GROUP REPOSITIONS FOR THE PACIFIC
JULIAN KERR | SYDNEY
NAVAL Group opened their Pacific 19 attendance with a flourish, announcing the launch of a Sydney-based subsid- iary company separate to Adelaide-based Naval Group Aus- tralia, which will remain wholly dedicated to the Sea 1000 Future Submarine program.
The newly-formed Naval Group Pacific will focus on strengthening involvement in Australia’s broader defence ca- pabilities and will have responsibility for Naval Group busi- ness development activities in Australia and NZ via sales, program management and sustainment.
A key focus will be on developing and fostering research and development, including collaboration with 16 Australian partners in government, academic and industry enterprises in producing a business case for the establishment of an Aus- tralian Maritime Development Centre.
This would offer best-in-class national research and devel- opment capability for Australia’s maritime and naval sector, whilst serving the needs of the RAN and Defence. A final decision on the future operation of the Centre is expected late this year or in early 2020.
Naval Group Pacific meanwhile kickstarted its own R&D role with the announcement of a major partnership with Flinders University. This will involve a range of research trials into applications of mobile machining robots and exoskeleton technologies for potential inclusion in the Future Submarine shipyard under construction at Osborne South near Adelaide. ■
BELOW: Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds, CSC, (right) meets with Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Naval Group Herve Guillou.
SYDNEY CITY MARINE SHOWCASES LOCAL CAPABILITY
EWEN LEVICK | SYDNEY
SYDNEY City Marine (SCM), a dockyard specialising in na- val repair, modification and maintenance, made the short trip from their waterfront site under the Anzac Bridge to Darling Harbour for Pacific 2019 as part of a drive to re- orient their business towards Defence.
SCM is the only commercial dockyard in Sydney Harbour able to lift and move vessels up to 800 tonnes. It is currently home to a number of LHD Landing Craft (LLCs) undergo- ing modification by Naval Ship Management. High Tide, a part of SCM, also recently refitted and reconditioned the Admiral’s Barge, a 12-metre ceremonial vessel used to carry dignitaries and high-ranking officers. At Pacific 2019, Rear Admiral Jonathan Mead told SCM’s Director for Commer- cial and Defence Warren Levin that he had never seen the vessel in better condition.
SCM intends to shift its focus to Defence, leveraging its ship lift capability and unique proximity to Fleet Base East and HMAS Waterhen to potentially provide an overflow site for work currently undertaken at those two bases. The yard has the potential to maintain and house additional LLCs, Huon class minehunters, HMAS Young Endeavour and HMAS More- ton, as well as a range of RAN small craft.
“The efficiency gain is that small craft don’t have to take up valuable time in the dock at Garden Island,” Levin said to ADM. “They wouldn’t be blocking a multi-billion dollar asset.”
SCM is also working closely with The Whiskey Project, allowing the veteran-run company free use of its facility to house, launch and recover its Whiskey Alpha next generation tactical watercraft.
“The Whiskey Project will always be a near and dear one to me, because that’s my former world,” Levin said. “ We had them here on the Friday after Pacific to launch. They did some trials and took Chief of Navy for a ride, came back, we recovered the boat and stored it inside our shed.” ■
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