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The Commonwealth has revealed its partner of choice for the seven-year, $2 billion contract to maintain and sustain the Royal Australian Navy fleet at Garden Island.
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Thales Australia has been appointed Regional Maintenance Provider for Defence’s new Regional Maintenance Centre East at Garden Island.
Defence has outlined that the centre will be used to support the sustainment of the Royal Australian Navy’s Canberra Class landing helicopter docks, Hobart Class guided missile destroyers and the HMAS Choules landing ship dock.
Defence explained that the announcement forms part of a new approach to maritime sustainment.
The approach includes establishing a network of maintenance centres around Australia to support continuous naval shipbuilding and enhance contingency response capabilities as part of Plan Galileo.
“I am pleased to be at Garden Island to announce this new $2 billion partnership with Thales Australia, which will create almost a thousand secure, high skilled, local jobs in defence industry,” Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Pat Conroy said.
“Growing our sovereign naval shipbuilding industrial capability is not just good for jobs, it’s imperative for our national security.
“I’m focused on making it easier for local industry to partner with Defence, and this partnership with Thales Australia will help to do that.”
The project is expected to create up to 120 direct jobs in defence industry and an additional 800 jobs in the broader maritime repair workforce, Defence confirmed.
It is also expected to generate $700 million of opportunities for Australian SMEs to 2028.
Jeff Connolly, chief executive officer, Thales Australia & New Zealand, welcomed the announcement and explained that the prime remained committed to supporting Australia's future maritime workforce.
“We are grateful to be selected as the Australian Defence Force’s regional maintenance partner of choice, providing indispensable services and support to the Royal Australian
Navy in the protection of our nation at Garden Island in Sydney," Connolly said.
“The Captain Cook Graving Dock and Garden Island Precinct on Sydney Harbour have always been critical sovereign national security assets – as is the highly skilled Thales Australia workforce that safely operate the dock every day to ensure the RAN is always ready and available to protect the nation and support our Pacific Island neighbors as needed.
"Thales Australia is committed to ensuring the continued training and upskilling of our people to advance dockyard operations as the new vessels come online, as well as
engaging and training the new apprentices, trainees and cadets of the future to guarantee knowledge transfer to future-proof this essential sovereign sustainment capability for the ADF.”
