#Official Defence Thread

[Edgar]

http://www.baesystemscareers.com.au/search.htm

A lot of opportunities for engineering graduates.

[aussie2000]

My parents work at BAE, its a really good company and pays really well, i might be getting a job there, if i like it

Are they hiring?

not sure, its easy for me cause my parents, well my mum is high up there enough to get me something

[Bulldozer]

What's the pay like?

One of my friends was working at ASC and said that if you go into defense you should get in on as much as you can since they don't give raises and if you want more you need to jump ship to another company. She seemed to indicate it was a defense-wide thing rather than specific to ASC.

[aussie2000]

my parents are each on between 70 and 100 thousand a year each and get raises every year

[skyliner]

Just read in the Fin REview P11 that Techport Australia supplier precinct is being sold - what's happening here? (just a large ad but no reasons for selling given - for expansion?)

SA - STATE ON THE RISE

[Jim]

Any more news on the Keswick barracks? Was there some rationalization underway?

[Jim]

Any more news on the Keswick barracks? Was there some rationalization underway?

I did read some months ago about a review of the defence sites in Adelaide as a result of the new development at Edinburgh but have not heard any news about the outcome. I am assuming Keswick is an historical significant site and while its location is ideal for development, options would be limited. However I did wonder if part of it would be an ideal location to shift the port road police barracks currently in the park lands at Thebarton also I think the police training centre at Largs is about to be upgraded but the Keswick site would be a good alternative. This option would probably enable army reserve and cadet training to co-exist and continue at Kewsick.

[skyliner]

MORE NEWS ON THE NAVAL DESTROYER PROJECT AT OSBORNE

$1bn IN NAVAL DESTROYER DEALS TO SEAL 1 Page article AFR P9 21/8/08
Australia's most complex shipbuilding project will deliver 3 ships - and $24bn in support work, writes John Kerin.

Up to $1bn in crucial shipbuilding and systems contracts are to be finalised in the next 5 months, as the consortium building the next generation of navy destroyers in Adelaide ramps up work on the $8bn project.

Industry is expected to grab a share in $24bn in support contracts over the life of the ships once they are launched in 2014 following the most complex naval shipbuilding project ever attemped in Australia......

ASC (Adelaide Submarine Builder) is spending $100m on cranes, plant and equipment at it's site at Osborne while the SA gov't is pouring in $300m into a purpose built facility, including a 213m wharf, and the country's largest ship lift, capable of lifting 9300 tonnes.

The project is expected to create at least 1700 jobs in Adelaide and another 1500 around the country.....

(Note - the rest of the aertcle is devoted to outlining beneficiaries of the outsourcing of construction contracts).

FYI - NUTS AND BOLTS
Building an air warfare destroyer

Weight 6250 tonnes
Length 146.7 metres
Piping 51 km
Electrical cable 427 km
Steel 4771 tonnes
Valves 4727
Flanges 61,518
Rope 6.2 km
Paint 137,831 lt.
Fasteners 1.57m

1700 more jobs - that's about 5000 more people plus spinoffs into other industry. Hope to see more about this in the SA Special Report on 18th Sept 2008 in the AFR. Great to see Adelaide population moving again and put paid to all those critics in the east.

SA - STATE ON THE MOVE

[Wayno]

137 thousand litres of paint!

Captain to Painter: "I'm not sure i like that colour, can you do another coat in a slightly lighter grey please"

[rev]

What did the Rudd government decide on a fourth ship? If I remember right, Howard government was considering a fourth ship.

[rogue]

Still undecided I think.

This could be an election issue next time round as the timing will allow for it.

Suppose we'll have to wait and see....

[raulduke]

does anybody know who won HNA Package 1?

[CBD]

Baulderstone won HNA Packages HC-1 and HC-2. HC-3 and 4 have not been anounced

[Wayno]

Electronics industry is licking its lips

It's not yet a "fait de compli" that South Australia's Electronics and ICT industry will be awarded a large chunk of the defence work associated with the warship contracts. Good to see they are gearing up well in advance...

http://www.newsmaker.com.au/news/622

Millions of Defence Dollars Set to Be Spent in South Australia

Steve Adcock, CEO of South Australia's Electronics and ICT Association, today expanded on a recently announced agreement the Association has signed with SME Gateway.

SME Gateway is a national organisation established to grow Australian small to medium enterprises (SMEs) through winning contracts and delivering contractual outcomes in the defence, ICT and mining business sectors.

“As a follow-on to signing the agreement, the Association jointly hosted an industry seminar on Satellite Communications with SME Gateway last week. The purpose of the seminar was to explain the opportunities in defence satellite communications and also how companies can win defence contracts currently worth over $24 million through SME Gateway.

"We had more than 180 guests from small to medium enterprises attend the seminar,” explained Mr Adcock.

“The agreement with SME Gateway provides a genuine boost for small to medium sized electronics and ICT companies who aim to win lucrative contracts,” added Mr Adcock.

“To officiate at the information session we invited His Excellency the Governor of South Australia, to address guests focused on opportunities with defence for South Australian SMEs.

"The Director General Satellite & Tactical Interoperability Branch of the Defence Materiel Organisation was also there to present Defence’s Wideband Global Satellite Initiative and the need for an effective small to medium industry support capability,” said Mr Adcock.

“Defence will expend over $100 million in Satellite Communication procurements over the next few years and with SME Gateway we are ready to position the South Australian Electronics and ICT industry to win a significant amount of this work”, explained Mr Adcock.

CEO and Managing Director of SME Gateway, Mr Charles Rudder went on to comment on the agreement, “This agreement heralds a new chapter for South Australian electronics and ICT SME’s to gain access to contracts secured by SME Gateway.

"Our model for growing SME’s is very successful. We have just received a Leaping Frog Award for the second highest rate of growth (668.73%) in the value of ICT contracts awarded to small-medium companies by Federal Government Agencies in the three years to 30 June 2008.

"The agreement with the Electronics and ICT Association is a key enabler for South Australian SMEs going forward and we look with anticipation to the exciting opportunities ahead,” explained Mr Rudder.

“The main purpose of the agreement is to serve as a streamlined gateway for members of the Electronics and ICT Association to engage in defence and large business contracts they would not normally tender for. Other advantages include business coaching from those who are extremely experienced in bidding for these types of business contracts,” explained Mr Adcock.

“The South Australian electronics and ICT industry employs more than 30,000 people and includes more than 1,200 companies. It is an understatement to say that the impact that the South Australian electronics and ICT industry makes on the economy is significant.”

Mr Adcock went on to say that “the electronics industry is growing faster than any other industry in the State and a 2007 SACES Export and Workforce Survey indicated that export revenue was $1.3 billion.”

About Electronics and ICT Association (EICTA)
The Electronics and ICT Association (EICTA) is a membership-based, non profit organisation based in Adelaide, South Australia. It aims to assist the further development of the electronics industry and the 1,200+ individual businesses included in this vibrant industry. The EICTA employs eight staff and is spearheaded by an industry elected board.

[Wayno]

Wowza! 6 new submarines to be built in Adelaide

i've never heard of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute? is this legit?

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/stor ... 01,00.html

ADELAIDE has been chosen to build a new fleet of submarines under a 15 to 20 year project, it has been reported.

The project codenamed SEA 100 will replace the Royal Australian Navy's fleet of six Collins-class subs based at Garden Island near Perth, the West Australian newspaper reported on Friday.

The submarines will be built in Adelaide, be non-nuclear and use a combination of Australian, European and US technology.

The acquisition was expected to create thousands of jobs and interest from international submarine outfitters.

It would also have major strategic and diplomatic consequences, a defence expert told the West Australian newspaper.

New technologies being developed by China and Russia would make the Collins-class subs obsolete, Andrew Davies from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute said.

"This weaponry will make life much more difficult for surface warships, so if a middle power like Australia wants to have a credible long-range naval influence, new submarines are going to be better than surface ships," Mr Davies said.

The six new submarines were expected to cost between $1.5 billion to $2 bilion each with project overheads possibly reaching another $3 billion.