Defence industry news briefs – stories you might have missed

Naval Group Australia appoints two new directors

Naval Group Australia has appointed experienced public service executive Jane Halton, and Naval Group Executive Vice President for the Australian Future Submarine Program Lilian Brayle, to its Board. According to the company the pair will add public and business sector experience as it delivers 12 new Attack Class submarines. Jane Halton was Secretary of both the Department of Finance and Department of Health, as well as Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Mr Brayle was appointed as Naval Group Executive Vice President for the Australian Future Submarine Program and a member of Naval Group Executive Committee in May 2021.

Airbus recruits Blacktree to work on satellite communications bid

Airbus has announced Australian ultra-high frequency (UHF) ground systems specialist Blacktree Technology as the first member of its team to respond to Australia’s tender to deliver a Defence Satellite Communications System. Designated Team Maier, the teaming arrangement would grow the local defence and space eco-system. Airbus plans to bring on board partners across space, technology and academia for its bid. Blacktree partnered with Airbus to install the UHF antennas for three satellite ground stations for the UK defence ministry’s Skynet 5 military satcom system. It also installed the UHF antennas at Airbus’s satellite ground station in Adelaide which receives Airbus Defence and Space’s Skynet secure military satellite communications. Joe Nevin, CEO of Blacktree, said “Blacktree’s reach now extends from our headquarters in Australia, to solving communications problems for customers in the UK, Europe, US, and to our long-standing customer, the Australian Defence Force.”

Reports of delay in frigate build

The start of construction of the navy’s $44 billion new fleet of frigates is to be pushed back for up to 18 months according to a report in afr.com.au. The report quoted multiple defence sources, with one source saying cabinet’s national security committee had acknowledged the delay, which is based on ‘coronavirus-related disruptions and continuing design issues’. The frigates, being built by BAE Systems Maritime Australia, are already in the prototyping phase at the Osborne shipyard in Adelaide (pictured). In redesigning BAE’s Type 26 frigate now being built in Glasgow with a new combat system and an Australian phased-array radar, the ship’s weight has been rising, necessitating a longer hull. Afr.com.au said work building the first frigate may not start until 2024.

Picture: Osborne south shipyard, Adelaide

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