Navantia Australia and UGL bid for amphibious ship build

Bidders are lining up to bid for contracts to to build the defence force’s next generation amphibious vessel.

At the Indo Pacific Maritime Expo in Sydney Navantia Australia and CIMIC Group company UGL launched a partnership to jointly bid for the Australian Army’s LCM-8 replacement project, LAND 8710-1 Littoral Manoeuvre Vessel Medium (LMV-M).

Earlier this week engineering firm Civmec and services firm Serco joined together to bid for the same contract, which requires bids to be lodged by 14 June 2022.

Navantia Australia and UGL are offering the Australian LMV-M Kodal solution based on its Australian Industry Capability, including an Australian design, Australian construction, and an Australian supply chain.

Kodal means “Crocodile” in Torres Strait Islander language Meriam Mir.

Navantia Australia managing director Israel Lozano said: “The partnership between Navantia Australia and UGL offers combined experience in collaborating with both Navy and Army, to deliver superior results.

“Together we offer Defence a highly compliant design, cost effective delivery, surety of supply, contribution to the Naval Shipbuilding Plan and maximum Australian content.”

UGL Managing Director Doug Moss said the bid brought together heavy manufacturing expertise and genuine Australian sovereign capability.

UGL has significant experience in complex project delivery, a 6,700 strong workforce and extensive manufacturing and support capabilities on both the east and west coasts of Australia.

Navantia Australia this year celebrates its tenth year in providing sovereign engineering, design, sustainment, and supply chain services to the Australian Defence sector.

Navantia Australia first revealed its intent to bid for the Landing Craft replacement at the Land Forces Exhibition in June 2021, unveiling a series of wholly Australian designed landing craft variants named Kodal. Kodal is a Torres Strait Islander word meaning Crocodile acknowledging the amphibious operations of the craft.

Picture: Navantia Australia/Kodal

Subscribe to our free @AuManufacturing newsletter here.