Backed by 20 years’ service in the Royal Australian Navy and 30 years’ combined experience in Defence and industry, I am certain Navantia Australia is the right partner to deliver the Government’s vision of a sovereign and continuous naval shipbuilding enterprise.
I am immensely proud of Navantia Australia’s F-5000 offering, which will be designed and built in Australia, by Australians, for Australians.
If selected by the Government to build the Navy’s Future Frigates, as Chairman of Navantia Australia I guarantee we will:
- Deliver the most advanced and proven antisubmarine warfare capability meeting all the requirements of the Navy in a ship that has the best general-purpose Destroyer capabilities.
- Stop any further shipbuilding workforce job losses in Adelaide as soon as the Government announces Navantia Australia as its partner for the Future Frigate program.
- Transition to a wholly Australian owned and operated company. In partnership with the Government, we will provide shareholding opportunities to industry, superannuation funds and everyday Australians.
- Begin production of the first ship in 2020, by retaining the experienced workers transitioning from the successful Air Warfare Destroyer program and backed by our existing supply chain of around 500 small to medium sized enterprises.
- Secure a sustainable sovereign naval shipbuilding enterprise with more than 80% Australian Industry Capability across the F-5000 program.
- Deliver schedule and cost certainty to the Government, Defence and Australian taxpayers. In conjunction with our partners, we are delivering the Hobart Class under budget and ahead of schedule, providing Navy with the most capable warships it has ever possessed.
- Transfer all the design and export rights to Australia for Navantia Australia’s F-5000, with all intellectual property owned and managed in Australia.
- Open export opportunities to the Australian naval shipbuilding industry. We are the only Future Frigate tenderer downselected for both the United States and Canadian frigate programs, offering Australia the opportunity to participate in the production of at least 35 ships.
- Achieve unprecedented operational commonality across the Navy’s fleet delivering significant cost savings and efficiencies for the Government.
Warren King
Chairman, Navantia Australia