Spain’s Navantia S.A. transferred the intellectual property for the Hobart-class family of warships to Navantia Australia, giving Australia sovereign control over its air warfare destroyer (AWD) capability.
Navantia S.A. chairman José Esteban Garcia Vilasanchez formally transferred the intellectual property to Navantia Australia in Canberra on Friday, 18 May 2018, ahead of the launch of the third and final Royal Australian Navy air warfare destroyer, HMAS Sydney.
Vilasanchez and Navantia Australia chairman Warren King signed a deed of transfer for the intellectual property formalizing Navantia S.A.’s designation of Navantia Australia as class manager for the Hobart-class in February 2018.
“For the first time in our history, Australia now is building the capability to design our own major warships,” King said. “Having control and ownership of this intellectual property in Australia provides us with sovereign control over the future development of our naval capability. Being able to use this intellectual property while drawing on Navantia’s centuries of experience provides Australia with our best opportunity to build our own sovereign industry.”
Australian defense industry minister Christopher Pyne welcomed the transfer. “Sydney’s float off reflects a remarkable 60 per cent productivity improvement over the first ship,” Pyne said.
“This is in no small way due to the highly skilled workers from ASC, Raytheon Australia, Navantia Australia and Defence.”
“The AWD Alliance is on track to deliver the second ship Brisbane to the Commonwealth in coming months, followed by the delivery of Sydney next year.”
The Navantia and Bath Iron Works design for the US Navy’s FFG(X) future frigate program is based on the Hobart Class. With Navantia Australia having local control and responsibility for the design’s management and design will increase Australian industry’s ability to export to this and other programs, including Navantia’s bid for the Canadian Surface Combatant.