Nuts and Bolts: What it Takes to Build a Warship
3 June 2010 By Jack Foster
More than 500 workers have begun shaping, welding and grinding steel to make the hull blocks for the ADF’s new Air Warfare Destroyers (AWD), marking the start of full shipyard production in one the biggest defence procurements ever attempted in Australia.
Built out of shipyards in Adelaide, Melbourne and Newcastle, the hull blocks will evolve into three of the world’s most advanced warships, capable of engaging with enemy aircraft and missiles at ranges in excess of 150 kilometres.
Minister for Defence Materiel and Science Greg Combet said the workforce number would increase to more than 3000 as the project moved to deliver the first completed AWD, HMAS Hobart, in December 2014.
The two remaining ships – HMAS Brisbane and HMAS Sydney – will be completed in 2016 and 2017 respectively.
“This is an important milestone for this national project, and I wish to congratulate everyone involved in helping us reach this point,” Mr Combet said.
Mr Combet said that the AWD capability supported the recent Defence White Paper’s emphasis on a strong maritime force.
Mr Combet also talked of the broader aspects of the AWD Project, saying that benefits would be realised outside of the three main shipyards. He added that the project would attract many young people as well as skilled workers.
“Each of you has an important part to play in the success of the project,” Mr Combet said. Mr Combet said AWDs were being built under an alliance strategy that integrated Defence and industry to ensure best-for-project outcomes based upon shared outcomes.
“The AWD project is currently on budget and schedule, and I thank everyone involved with the AWD Alliance for their commitment and hard work,” he said.
Alliance CEO Rod Equid said: “With this model, you can bring the best people together, working as a unified team to deliver complex projects like the Air Warfare Destroyer”.
Mr Equid said the AWD Program would also maximise Australian defence industry involvement wherever possible.
“The sonar technology for example is from a global company, yet we have an agreement to carry out at least 50 per cent of the sonar work within Australia,” he said.
The completed hull blocks will begin to arrive in Adelaide for consolidation into the complete warship by mid-2011.
