HMAS Supply - Replacement Replenishment Vessels
On 06 May 2016 the Government signed contracts with Navantia S.A. to build Australia’s two replacement replenishment ships, avoiding a critical capability gap. Australia’s current supply ship HMAS Success will reach its end of life in 2021 and needs to be replaced as a matter of priority. As part of the $640 million contract with Navantia more than $130 million will go to Australian industry. Local industry activity will include Combat and Communication Systems integration, Integrated Logistics Support, and elements of the onboard cranes. Australian shipyards simply do not have the capacity to complete the replenishment vessels in the required time and a local build would delay the OPVs, Future Frigates and Future Submarines thereby risking those jobs and capability.
The date of entry into force of the contract was May 5, 2016, with the sheet metal cut on June 19, 2017, placing the keel on the stand on November 17 of this same year, being November 23, the launching, and being scheduled to be delivered in less than a year, in September 2019, an act that could even be transferred and carried out in Australia.
This contract means a workforce of 3 million hours for this area, as well as 35,000 hours for the Cartagena shipyard derived from the engines, and 35,000 for Navantia Sistemas derived from the IPMS. That makes a total of 1,800 jobs until 2020. Besides, this contract includes a significant amount of participation from Australian industry, with companies such as Raytheon as supplier of the Communication System, Saab Australia as supplier of the Combat System, Scientific Management Associates (SMA) as suppliers of engineering services and Baker and Provan as supplier of cranes. In relation to Support, all the sustainment activities will be performed in Australia (NSW and WA) with Navantia Australia and its subcontractors, which has been partnering with Australian companies since 2007.
The contract with the Commonwealth of Australia also includes support for the life cycle of the two AOR vessels for a period of 5 years. This contract is assuming for the shipyards of the Ría de Ferrol the realization of 1.5 million working hours per ship, as well as 35,000 hours derived from the manufacture and supply of the main engines, diesel generators and reducers, and other 35,000 derivatives of the Integrated Platform Control System.
Navantia launched the ship NUSHIP Supply on 23 November 2018, the first of the two AOR ships it is building for the Royal Australian Navy, according to the contract signed in May 2016. The ceremony was held at the Ferrol shipyard at 16:15, coinciding with the high tide and has counted on the presence of Jenny Barrett, as godmother of the ship, as well as the president of Navantia, Susana de Sarriá; the ambassador of Australia in Spain, Julie-Ann Guivarra and the Australian AJEMA, Vice Admiral MJ Noonan.
Two Supply class Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment will be named HMA Ships Supply (II) and Stalwart (III). Supply will be built in two years, with full operational capability scheduled for 2022. Supply will be the second vessel in the Royal Australian Navy to bear the name that has its origins with the armed tender ship that accompanied the First Fleet to Australia. Stalwart is being named after two previous Australian Navy vessels, one a destroyer that served between 1920 and 1925 and the second destroyer tender served from 1968 to 1990. The ships will be known as Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment vessels and will replace the current HMA Ships Success and Sirius.
The lead ship, HMAS Supply was launched at the Navantia Shipyards in Ferrol, Spain on 23 November 2018. The following day, in accordance with ship-building tradition the Chief of Navy, VADM Michael Noonan, positioned a coin under where the hull will be constructed for Stalwart.
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