Minister for Defence Materiel Dr Mike Kelly today opened the Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) ship training facility at Mascot in New South Wales.
Over the next two-and-a-half years the new facility will provide training to Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel in the safe operation and maintenance of the LHD ships.
The facility has the potential for follow-on training and through life support training and to manage and conduct other future training for the ADF.
“The opening of this training facility is another example of the effective collaboration between the Defence Materiel Organisation, Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and BAE Systems Australia,” Dr Kelly said.
“This facility will train over 700 ADF personnel to safely operate and maintain the LHDs in anticipation of acceptance by Navy of Australia’s first LHD NUSHIP Canberra in early 2014 and the acceptance of NUSHIP Adelaide the following year,” Dr Kelly said.
The two LHD ships will each have a crew of over 350 Navy, Army and Air Force personnel.
“The redevelopment of this site took around six months at a cost of $5m which gives the ADF a purpose-built, state-of-the-art training facility that has simulated training suites, LHD ship fitted equipment, classrooms and an office,” Dr Kelly said.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, April 24, 2013; Image: Australian Navy