9 May, 2018
Navantia Australia has formally opened its Naval Design and Engineering Centre in Melbourne’s Docklands precinct on Tuesday, 24 April. Victorian Defence Industry Advocate, Greg Combet AM, together with Navantia’s global chairman Esteban Vilasanchez and Navantia Australia chairman Warren King opened the facility, which will complement Navantia Australia’s Adelaide Operations and Design Centre.
“The continuous naval shipbuilding program is a national endeavour,” Mr King said. “Navantia Australia is continuing to grow and develop our sovereign capability, which means drawing on the best engineers and naval architects around the country. The Melbourne Naval Design and Engineering Centre will work in partnership with our Operations and Design Centre in Adelaide to ensure the success of Australia’s sovereign naval shipbuilding capability and our development into a nation with a competitive export capability.”
The Design and Engineering Centre, led by Operations Manager Jamie Gibbs, is focussed on developing Australia’s future frigate capability and supporting the Hobart Class destroyers. Following the designation of Navantia Australia as class manager of the Hobart Class in February 2018, Navantia Australia is now responsible for maintenance of the design configuration of the three Hobart destroyers, in addition to having full authority for the design of the F-5000, Navantia’s proposed future frigate.