BAE Systems commits to Aussie steel
BAE Systems Australia will source steel from two Australian companies should it be successful in its bid for the Royal Australian Navy's SEA 5000 programme.
The company is competing to build nine Future Frigates as part of the programme. Its proposal is based on a variant of the Type 26 vessel, which it calls the Global Combat Ship-Australia.
In order to construct the vessels, BAE Systems will partner with BlueScope and Liberty OneSteel for the supply of more than 48,000 tonnes of Australian steel.
BlueScope will potentially supply plate steel that will be manufactured at its facility in Port Kembla, NSW.
Liberty OneSteel will provide structural steel sections for the frigates from its Whyalla facility. It will also deliver products for 4,000 tonnes of structural steel for the shipbuilding infrastructure, which includes cradles and other fixtures. Liberty OneSteel will also have the opportunity to offer value added processing, fabrication and welding in the Whyalla supply chain.
BAE Systems Australia chief executive, Gabby Costigan, said: 'For SEA 5000 we are committed to building the Future Frigates in Australia using Australian suppliers at every opportunity. This includes maximising the
use of Australian steel on the programme. We are proud to support the Australian steel industry throughout our business and will grow that support if we are successful on SEA 5000.'
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Swedish navy moves to final phase of Blekinge-class sub production with new Saab order]()
Swedish navy moves to final phase of Blekinge-class sub production with new Saab order
Saab Kockums was initially awarded the contract to build two A26 submarines for the Royal Swedish Navy in 2015, but the programme has faced delays and escalating costs.
-
![Germany goes for more US equipment for F127 frigates with SPY-6 radar choice]()
Germany goes for more US equipment for F127 frigates with SPY-6 radar choice
If the foreign military sale request is approved, Germany would be the first country outside the US to acquire the technology, which is currently used extensively by the US Navy.
-
![Beyond GPS: How LEO satellites are changing the game in naval navigation]()
Beyond GPS: How LEO satellites are changing the game in naval navigation
Satellite navigation is increasingly critical for global maritime defence, and Low Earth Orbit satellites are rapidly overtaking the traditional and more widely used Medium Earth Orbit option as they are less susceptible to jamming or spoofing.
-
![US continues to review AUKUS submarine deal as HII ticks off new Virginia-class sea trials]()
US continues to review AUKUS submarine deal as HII ticks off new Virginia-class sea trials
The initial sea trials for Virginia-class SSN 798 conducted by Newport News Shipbuilding division and the US Navy marked an “important step”, but the ongoing AUKUS review casts a shadow over what the progress means for the partner nations.
