LATEST AIR WARFARE DESTROYER

COMBAT SYSTEM CONTRACTS SIGNED

Minister for Defence the Hon. Joel Fitzgibbon MP, today welcomed an announcement by the AWD Alliance of the signing of a further two contracts for provision of elements of the combat system for Australia’s three Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyers (AWDs) during his visit to Techport South Australia.

“These latest contract signings mean that the AWD Alliance now has in place contracts for the majority of the AWD combat system, and since mid-2008 the Alliance has signed contracts for the provision of combat system capability worth more than $350 million,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.

The Alliance has signed a contract worth $40 million with Raytheon Missile Systems, USA for the provision of the Very Short Range Defence-Air capability and with Adelaide-based Babcock Strachan and Henshaw Australia for the ships’ Torpedo Launch Tubes worth $10 million.

“The Torpedo Launch Tubes will be manufactured under licence from the US with around 60 per cent of the contract value undertaken in South Australia, providing a boost to the local economy,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.

“Final assembly and testing will be carried out at Babcock’s new Techport facility in Adelaide.

“This follows the award late last year of a $40 million contract to BAE Systems Australia for the provision of a satellite communications capability for the AWDs, of which about 45 per cent will be spent in South Australia,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.

Media contacts:

Christian Taubenschlag (Joel Fitzgibbon):         02 6277 7800 or 0438 595 567

Defence Media Liaison:                                       02 6265 3343 or 0408 498 664