#Official Defence Thread

[Prodical]

This second photo shows more detail of the larger Frigate assembly area. I think (from what I have heard from an engineer working on the structure) that this larger assembly area will be 60-70 m tall (around 18 floors) and wide enough to take 2 Frigates. Will be terrific to see this take shape

I could not locate the place where the new submarine assembly area will be - they had the ground breaking ceremony last week. Probably north of the existing ASC submarine service area. I heard that this will also be enclosed and around the size of Adelaide oval, so also looking forward to that

[Goodsy]

Future Osborne South

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lih8jtBFkB0


Future Osborne North

[Prodical]

Great - thanks a lot

A true game changer for that industry sector and location

[rev]

Frigate build site ready to launch $35 billion naval project
DEFENCE

Work is almost finished in the $500 million upgrade of Adelaide’s new high-tech frigate shipyard with five new structures rising from its Port River site.

Belinda Willis

Shipbuilding in South Australia is proving a bright spark in the economy with the first new construction shed for the nation’s $35 billion Hunter Class Frigate program now ready for action.

Building 20 is part of the $500 million upgrade of the state’s Osborne shipyard and its handover to ASC Shipbuilding is now underway, keeping plans well on track for work on the nation’s nine anti-submarine warfare frigates to start this year.

ASC Shipbuilding director Jim Cuthill said five new sheds in the shipyard were being fitted with cutting-edge equipment and the site’s builders Australian Naval Infrastructure and Lend Lease are on track for a complete handover in July.

Meanwhile, design-based engineering work for the frigates was continuing.

“At the moment about 70 per cent of our workforce is still working from home and we haven’t really missed a beat with the work that we are doing,” Cuthill said.

“This is a program of national importance but it’s one that’s going to play a key role in terms of stimulating economic activity post COVID.”

Workers employed on the frigates project run by ASC Shipbuilding, a subsidiary of defence giant BAE Systems Australia, are now just over 600 with Cuthill saying this would be ramping up from July to hit about 1000 by the end of 2020.

Cuthill said Building 20 is where construction work for the frigates will begin, as the program kicks off with five prototype blocks of the ships being made in the first two years.

The planned build would see mainly Australian steel first enter the highly automated fabrication hall to be cut and welded into the 75 units that will make up each of the frigates.

Work then moves onto Building 21 on the site, the block outfit hall, where the units have piping, cable layers, heating ventilation and air conditioning added.

They are then moved to Building 18 for blasting and painting.

“There are high levels of control in temperature and humidity in that chamber,” Cuthill said.

“Once we actually paint those blocks we try and maintain that paint scheme right through the life of the ship.”

In a streamlined plan, the blocks are then shifted to the largest construction shed on site.

Building 22 soars above the nearby Port River, this structure is 170m long, about 80m high and about 50m long, and is where the blocks are fitted together to make the ships.

“First of all we do more outfitting on the blocks in this build, we put in accommodation and the interior outfit and we put in equipment,” Cuthill said.

They are then joined together and “if you went into the hall toward the end of the process you would basically see an entire ship inside except the top mast,” Cuthill said.

The almost completed frigates will be moved outside onto the slipway for the mast and combat system to be fitted before the ships are put into the water for testing.




http://theleadsouthaustralia.com.au/ind ... l-project/

[Pistol]

Anyone that hasn’t seen the shipyard needs to get out there and see the magnitude of this piece of infrastructure.
The main ship hall is 58m tall to the top of the structure!!

And then to think another $500m will be spent on the boatyard extension next door...

[SBD]

Anyone that hasn’t seen the shipyard needs to get out there and see the magnitude of this piece of infrastructure.
The main ship hall is 58m tall to the top of the structure!!

And then to think another $500m will be spent on the boatyard extension next door...

The article above says Building 22 is 80m high. At that height, it should be included in the Wikipedia list of tallest buildings in Adelaide. 58m just misses the bottom of the list.

[Pistol]

Think they got their height and width mixed up.
80m high and 50m wide... look at the pics and you decide

[SBD]

Think they got their height and width mixed up.
80m high and 50m wide... look at the pics and you decide

Ah - thanks. I was stuck on it being both 50 and 170m long anyway. I hadn't thought of the only other dimension being the wrong way too.

[rev]

It would be 170m deep, considering the frigates will be 149m in length.

What's available on Google Maps at the moment, which is just the foundations/slab, using the measuring tool it says 190m.
It'll be interesting to see, if possible, how they do this, as this stuff being built is on the other side of Mersey Road I guess that track system or whatever it's called will be extended across the road into the new shed, seeing as it lines up perfectly with the tracks that lead all the way to the water. Hopefully when the time comes for each ship they have a public viewing of it being moved and put into the water.

[SBD]

It would be 170m deep, considering the frigates will be 149m in length.

What's available on Google Maps at the moment, which is just the foundations/slab, using the measuring tool it says 190m.
It'll be interesting to see, if possible, how they do this, as this stuff being built is on the other side of Mersey Road I guess that track system or whatever it's called will be extended across the road into the new shed, seeing as it lines up perfectly with the tracks that lead all the way to the water. Hopefully when the time comes for each ship they have a public viewing of it being moved and put into the water.

My impression is that Mersey Road is now permanently closed and part of the campus. I haven't seen an official announcement for that (but haven't looked for one either).

[Pistol]

Mersey Road is permanently closed and part of the shipyard

[rev]

This shed is prominently visible from the northern connector.

[western]

I might be showing my ignorance but cant find any recent info about WA 'stealing' Collins class maintenance. Anyone know. Was to be already decided but I think covid 19 put it back as a decision.

ADELAIDE - TOWARDS AS GREATER CITY SKYLINE

[SRW]

I might be showing my ignorance but cant find any recent info about WA 'stealing' Collins class maintenance. Anyone know. Was to be already decided but I think covid 19 put it back as a decision.

ADELAIDE - TOWARDS AS GREATER CITY SKYLINE

It was supposed to be decided in December but remains unannounced. I suspect they've decided in favour of WA (given its influence in cabinet) but are trying to figure out the politics of it, both for the SA Liberals and for the government's dealings in the Senate, where Rex Patrick will go off. His petition remains active too: https://www.savesajobs.com.au

[western]

WA has the iron ore industry as it is. Shipbuilding is really all there is in Adelaide.. Signed the petition. WA are usurpers.

[b]ADELAIDE -TOWARDS A GREATER CITY SKYLINE[/b]