Navantia Australia

Navantia Australia specialises in project management, engineering services and through life support in the shipbuilding domain.

Through participation in the air warfare destroyer project, (AWD), landing helicopter dock project (LHD) and LHD landing craft project (LLC), Navantia Australia has gained a significant, indigenous engineering capability.

This covers a wide range of shipbuilding areas, from in-service support and conceptual design to test and activation activities, and provides Navantia with the ability to supply services to the Australian Government and Defence Industry.

Innovative war ship design, construction and integration

Navantia Australia design, constructs and integrates state-of-the-art war ships, with experience in delivering the most technologically advanced products.

The Commonwealth of Australia chose Navantia's evolved F-100 frigate design in 2007 for acquirement of the three air warfare destroyers (AWDs) through project SEA 4000. Image courtesy of the Royal Australian Navy.

In 2007, the Australian Commonwealth additionally chose Navantia’s landing helicopter dock (LHD) design, which was based on Juan Carlos 1 by the Spanish Navy. Image courtesy of the Royal Australian Navy.

Also known as the LHD landing craft (LLC), the landing helicopter deck (LHD) vessels were built by Navantia in Spain and shipped out to Australia in three batches of four. Image courtesy of the Royal Australian Navy.

The purchase of 12 new watercraft for the two Canberra Class landing helicopter dock (LHD) ships was approved by the Australian Government in September 2011. Image courtesy of the Royal Australian Navy.

This includes destroyers, offshore patrol boats, air craft carriers, frigates, submarines and other relevant products and systems associated with the naval domain, such as combat systems and integrated platform management systems (IPMS).

In addition to marketing an array of these products and services in the Australasian region, the company also supplies the IPMS installed in the Canberra Class LHDs and the Hobart Class AWDs of the Royal Australian Navy. It has a joint venture with South Australian-based SAGE Automation (NSAG) to provide IPMS-integrated solutions.

Navantia Australia specialises in through life support (TLS) services, which are provided by a team with extensive knowledge of the products to be maintained.

Navantia’s commitment to innovation is a significant one, working together with Australian universities to promote and leverage Australia’s shipbuilding capabilities through the development of specific programmes to bring new engineers within shipbuilding, as a central element in boosting Australian defence industry capabilities.

Naval infrastructure support capabilities

Due to its past performance, ability to supply and capabilities developed through its current products, Navantia is willing to continue supporting the Commonwealth of Australia in its future programmes. These include SEA 5000 Future Frigates, SEA 1180 Offshore Patrol Vessels, and SEA 1654 Replenishment Ships.

Under Phase 1 of SEA 5000, Navantia has completed a technical and economic feasibility assessment that focused on the continued production of the AWD ship design, suitably adapted and incorporating technology from CEA Technologies Australia and SAAB Australia.

It is also expected that a circular error probable (CEP) will be established to down-select a designer for the offshore patrol vessels (OPVs).

If invited to participate in the SEA 1180 CEP, Navantia will offer an Australianised version of its Avante 1400, which is based on the class of vessel delivered to Venezuela.

Australia’s air warfare destroyer programme

In 2007, Navantia’s evolved F-100 frigate design was chosen by the Commonwealth of Australia as the basis for the three AWDs to be acquired through project SEA 4000.

The three ships, known in Australia as DDGs, are being assembled in Adelaide. Navantia has had a presence in the shipyard since 2007.

In 2014, Navantia Australia increased the size and capability of its team in Adelaide to assist with the AWD Reform Programme.

Landing helicopter dock programme

Under JP 2048 Phases 4A and 4B, the Commonwealth of Australia selected Navantia’s LHD design based on the Spanish Navy’s Juan Carlos 1, also in 2007.

Supply of the two amphibious ships was accomplished by building the hulls, up to and including the flight decks, in Spain.

The superstructures were built and installed by BAE Systems at its shipyard in Melbourne. The lead ship, HMAS Canberra, was commissioned in Sydney in November 2014, and HMAS Adelaide was commissioned in December 2015.

From 2007 to 2015, Navantia Australia maintained a team of engineers in Melbourne.

LHD landing craft

In September 2011 the Australian Government approved the purchase of 12 new watercraft for the two Canberra Class Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) ships.

Known as the LLC, these vessels were built by Navantia in Spain and shipped out to Australia in three batches of four vessels. The final delivery was made in November 2015.

Through life support

Navantia Australia has established infrastructure in Sydney to properly service the ships currently in operation, as well as those expected in the future.

Navantia is ready to meet the challenges and needs of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) in the maritime domain.

About Navantia

Navantia Australia was originally created in 2012, and is present in Adelaide, Sydney and Canberra. It currently employs more than 80 people.

Adelaide’s technical operation centre is where Navantia Australia has its core engineering capabilities, including project management.

Navantia’s head office is in the process of re-locating to Canberra from Melbourne.