Hunter Class frigate program

ABECK Group are delighted to be working with BAE Systems Maritime Australia to manufacture and supply flowforge grating components for the prototyping phase of the Hunter Class frigate program.

The program is establishing Australia’s sovereign industrial capability to support the nation’s next generation of warships.

ABECK is one of three companies engaged to provide products for the prototyping phase of the program, the nation’s largest surface shipbuilding project based at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in Adelaide.

The program will eventually deliver nine warships to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

ABECK will be providing a quantity of our 100% Australian made forgeflow grating components which will be tested, evaluated and refined as part of the prototyping process. These gratings will be used as walkway surfaces on the ships.

“Establishing a competitive, sustainable and resilient supply chain in Australia is critical to the overall success of the Hunter Class frigate program,” said Craig Lockhart, Managing Director, BAE Systems Maritime Australia.

“Each of these three companies bring a unique and important skillset to the construction of frigates in Australia, helping to deliver the best capability to the Navy.”

ABECK’s Managing Director, Peter Angelico, has expressed his excitement at the opportunity to work on this high profile defence project alongside BAE Systems Maritime Australia.

“It’s large programs like these that will help ensure that manufacturing in Australia remains strong, enabling our company (and others like it) to create long-term manufacturing careers for our fellow Australians,” he said.

“When contracts on major projects like this land locally, we not only work hard to deliver a world-class locally produced product, but we’re also able to employ and up-skill our people, strengthening Australia’s manufacturing capacity. The flow-on effects are huge.” he said.

The other Australian manufacturing companies engaged on the project are:

• Defence Seals & Spares (NSW) to supply manhole and access panel gaskets from its Warriewood operations, north of Sydney, and
• PRP Manufacturing (SA) to supply cut gaskets from its Dudley Park plant in Adelaide.

Our thanks go to the team at Industry Capability Network for their role in connecting local suppliers to major national projects, and to the South East Melbourne Manufacturers Alliance (SEMMA) for their support and passion for Australian manufacturing.