Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy, formally opened the Navantia Australia Melbourne Naval Design and Engineering Centre at a ceremony on Wednesday 11 October.
The formalities were attended by Senator Jess Walsh, Senator for Victoria and Chair of the Economics Legislation Committee, Her Excellency Ms Alicia Moral Revilla, Spanish Ambassador to Australia, Captain Ernesto Zarco Gil, Spanish Defence Attaché, Mr John O’Callaghan, Victorian Defence Advocate, and Mr Donato Martinez, Navantia Vice President of Technology, Digital Transformation, Systems, and Services.
The locally engaged engineers at the facility are currently developing the Phase 6 design work to upgrade the Aegis combat system on the Hobart class destroyers and have made the first Navantia Australia ship designs including the Land 8710 Littoral Manoeuvre Vessel – Medium and joint support ship.
Navantia Australia is also working on new Australian-developed naval ship concepts for the future surface fleet, including uncrewed surface vessels. This engineering capability, complemented by the Small to Medium Enterprises (SME) in Navantia Australia’s technical supply network, provides expertise for the company’s design work nation-wide.
“As part of the national endeavour to establish Australia’s Naval shipbuilding and sustainment enterprise, having a strong, sovereign design capability is critical,” said Israel Lozano, Navantia Australia Managing Director.
“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.”