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The Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy, formally opened Navantia Australia’s new Melbourne-based Naval Design and Engineering Centre.
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The opening ceremony was preceded by a tour of the centre, led by Israel Lozano, Navantia Australia managing director, with the tour demonstrating the capability output of the centre and the innovative technologies being developed by locally engaged engineers.
The formalities were attended by Senator Jess Walsh, senator for Victoria and chair of the economics legislation committee; Her Excellency Alicia Moral Revilla, Spanish ambassador to Australia; Captain Ernesto Zarco Gil, Spanish Defence attaché; John O’Callaghan, Victorian Defence advocate; and Donato Martinez, Navantia vice-president of technology, digital transformation, systems, and services.
“As part of the national endeavour to establish Australia’s Naval shipbuilding and sustainment enterprise, having a strong, sovereign design capability is critical,” Lozano said.
Navantia Australia first opened the Melbourne Naval Design and Engineering Centre in 2018 to complement the work at its Adelaide Operations and Design Centre. In mid-2020, Navantia Australia relocated this work to a higher capacity site which in December 2022, expanded and upgraded to its current scale and sophistication.
“I am incredibly proud of the team we have built here in Melbourne and the fantastic work they produce in the Naval Design and Engineering Centre. Growing from only 15 people in 2017 to more than 100 today in 2023, I am proud of the work, commitment, and passion I have witnessed in supporting the Royal Australian Navy. I would like to extend my thanks to Minister Conroy, Senator Walsh, ambassador Moral Revilla, Captain Zarco Gil, and Mr O’Callaghan for their attendance at this landmark event," Lozano added.
Through collaborations with universities, industry partnerships, and international work programs that allow Navantia Australia employees to work alongside their Spanish colleagues in international programs, Navantia Australia is committed to creating a skilled, innovative, and robust local design engineering workforce.
Navantia Australia designs, integrates, and supports naval maritime platforms and systems for the Royal Australian Navy. The company is recognised as a design authority by the Commonwealth of Australia for the Canberra Class Landing Helicopter Docks (LHD) and Landing Craft, Hobart Class Guided Missile Destroyers (DDG), and Supply Class Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment (AOR) ships.
