Defence Business: Amberley support centre development underway | ADM Sep 2010
The development of an aerospace and defence support centre adjacent to RAAF Base Amberley has taken a step forward, with key planning approval received from Ipswich City Council (ICC).
Jane Symonds | Brisbane
The Queensland Government’s Aerospace and Defence Support Centre – Amberley (ADSC-A) is intended to be a master-planned, commercially oriented hub for aerospace and defence companies and organisations providing service and support to Defence.
The Queensland Government’s Minister for Infrastructure and Planning Stirling Hinchliffe announced on 3 July 2010 that Ipswich City Council had signed off on the ADSC-A project.
“Following ICC’s approval, the Queensland Government can progress what will be a hub for national defence, aviation and aerospace industries,” Hinchliffe said.
“The centre is expected to become a base for firms seeking contracts to service and maintain RAAF aircraft including the new fleet of $6 billion F/A-18F Super Hornets.”
ADSC-A will be located on 183.5 hectares of land next to RAAF Amberley, west of Ipswich.
The development concept includes making use of that close proximity to incorporate a taxiway and taxiway bridge between the RAAF base and the secure hangar and hard-standing area of ADSC-A.
Development concept
Under the development concept, three broad operational areas totalling 114.6 hectares with frontage to the Cunningham Highway will accommodate ADSC-A’s core functions.
The Aerospace Maintenance Precinct will be the largest of these, designed to accommodate aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services.
ADSC-A will be capable of handling the full range of military aircraft, from heavy transport through rotary wing to fast jet.
A hard-standing apron will be provided to a tarmac load strength standard that will accept any ADF aircraft in service or projected to be in service in the next 10 years.
The maintenance precinct will be fully perimeter secured, to allow it to be connected via the taxiway and taxiway bridge to the RAAF base.
The Services Industry Precinct is envisioned to accommodate companies providing services such as repair of platform repairable items for aerospace, land and maritime equipment, and design, integration, manufacture, test, sustainment and repair of combat systems across the three sectors.
The Business and Office Precinct is intended to accommodate companies providing services such as defence platform and system design, system project office management, software development, training services, management services, and professional technical services including project management, systems engineering, logistics engineering, specialty engineering, test and evaluation.
This precinct will also incorporate shared facilities such as conference and training areas for multi-use commercial, defence and community requirements.
The Amberley connection
Deputy Coordinator-General of the Queensland Department of Infrastructure and Planning, Ed Ebert, told ADM: “ADSC-A’s proximity to RAAF Base Amberley will allow the clustering of companies and industries to service existing and new markets.
“It is a systematic approach to service defence aerospace and systems market needs.
“The centre will target the whole-of-life management – design, installation, modification, maintenance and overhaul – of military aircraft and systems for the ADF on a whole-of-business basis.
“The primary reasons for developing ADSC-A are to establish a purpose-built, high-quality, high-technology industrial complex, endorsed by the Commonwealth, capable of meeting Defence requirements.”
Although the development is a Queensland Government initiative, Ebert said Defence had been actively involved with DIP on planning for ADSC-A since 2001.
ADM asked how the security issues around connecting to the RAAF base would be addressed.
“A Security Threat Assessment and Security Concept Plan will be prepared for ADSC-A which will address the broad range of security risks and management approaches to be adopted, based on applicable Federal and State legislation, and Defence and RAAF operational and security considerations,” Ebert said.
“Maintenance of RAAF Base Amberley perimeter security will be the paramount consideration.
“DIP is maintaining an ongoing and valuable dialogue with Defence.”
The only air access to ADSC-A will be via the RAAF base runway and the connecting taxiway.
ADM understands arrangements have been considered for international and/or non-military aircraft to pass through the base in order to expand the potential work for ADSC-A-based companies beyond RAAF aircraft.
When asked if this would be the case, Ebert said Defence Support Group (DSG) had provided DIP with details of its policy position on airside access to its bases.
According to a Defence spokesperson, the policy information provided to DIP was that “Defence only considers permitting direct airside access for a specified contractor, to fulfil core obligations in Defence contract(s).
“Each contractor requires separate approval for airside access.”
Ebert said DIP would “continue to engage with Defence on the detailed implications of the airside access policy for ADSC-A operations”.
DIP is managing the ADSC-A development over 16 project stages.
While the concept has been evolving since 2001, the first stage in the formal project program, prepared under the Queensland Government’s Project Assurance Framework (PAF), was completed in 2008.
DIP has a first-stage construction completion target of second quarter 2013.
“In close association with companies seeking a presence within ADSC-A, the final composition of stage one construction will be determined as part of the master planning process,” Ebert told ADM.
“Current planning for stage one construction is that parts of the Business and Office Precinct, Services Industry Precinct, and Aerospace Maintenance Precinct will be developed.
“This stage is also planned to include the construction of taxiways and a taxiway bridge enabling the movement of aircraft between ADSC-A and RAAF Base Amberley.”
The 2013 first-stage completion could create an opening for companies with expiring F-111 support contracts to move from RAAF Amberley onto ADSC-A.
Ebert said that while the development timeframe was not primarily driven by that idea, “through consultation with industry and Defence, DIP is actively planning to meet the needs of current contractors located on RAAF Base Amberley”.
Project stages planned for commencement in third quarter 2010 include Master Planning and First Stage Subdivision Approval, Governance, Tenure Strategy and Planning.
It is envisaged that a management organisation, operating under the governance body to be formed for ADSC-A, will act as the single point of responsibility for compliance with defence security and access issues, for master planning, marketing and promotion, sales and leasing of sites and buildings, and for operational management of ADSC-A facilities.
Ebert said a range of ownership models would be explored, and it was anticipated that a preferred governance model would be resolved and detailed in early 2011.
The Queensland Government has committed $30.5 million from the Estates Construction Fund to commence development of the project. The ICC planning approval provides the basis for further proposals to secure funding for the facility, expected to cost $150 million.
DIP, through its contractor the Kobold Group, began directly engaging with potential ADSC-A tenant businesses early in 2010.
The Kobold Group has interviewed 28 companies to solicit defence industry views on a range of topics, including required infrastructure and management of ADSC-A.
Companies interviewed ranged from international primes to local Australian companies with fewer than 10 employees.