Australian companies bag UK Type 26 contracts

Two Australian companies have received contracts for work on the UK Royal Navy’s new Type 26 frigates, Australian defense industry minister announced November 2.

Christopher Pyne said Type 26 main contractor BAE Systems chose Tasmanian-based Liferaft Systems Australia to provide the ship’s Marine Evacuation System, and the Victorian-based Mackay Consolidated Industries to supply pipe hanger inserts.

These contracts were won under the Defence Global Supply Chain (GSC) program which is managed by the Centre for Defence Industry Capability.

Minister Pyne said the program would provide export opportunities for Australian small-to-medium sized companies in the supply chains of prime defense contractors, with further Australian companies benefitting from the United Kingdom’s Type 26 Global Combat Ship program in the future.

“Australian companies that demonstrate their ingenuity are valued by global prime companies in the United Kingdom and in other markets around the world,” Pyne said.

“This highlights the global competitiveness of our Australian defence industry.

Minister Pyne, who is currently in Europe visiting counterparts, also met with Charles Woodburn, chief executive officer of BAE Systems, to discuss further export opportunities for Australian companies within BAE Systems’ global supply chains.

Since 2007, the participating GSC primes have awarded close to $1 billion of work to predominantly small-to-medium sized enterprises in Australia.

“BAE Systems Australia has one of the nation’s largest defense supply chains and a long and successful history of working closely with Australian suppliers, to open up both local and international opportunities,” Pyne said.