By Cameron Weston
WILLIAMSTOWN shipbuilder Tenix is in the running for another major defence contract.
Tenix is competing with Sydney-based ADI for a $2 billion contract to build two large amphibious ships.
The new ships, to be named HMAS Canberra and HMAS Adelaide, are due to enter active service with the Royal Australian Navy in 2012.
Tenix will join forces with Spanish ship designer Navantia in the battle to win the project, and the successful company will be named early next year.
Minister for Defence Brendan Nelson said the ships offered a quantum leap in naval capability.
“The project will allow the Australian Defence Force to perform a range of tasks including regional disaster relief, delivering humanitarian aid, support for peace operations, and assistance to policing or military operations,” Dr Nelson said.
Each ship will be capable of carrying up to 1000 personnel, offer six helicopter landing sites and be capable of handling troop lift and armed reconnaissance helicopters.
The ships will also be capable of transporting up to 150 vehicles, including the new M1A1 Abrams tank.
Dr Nelson said the tender would be decided on “value for money grounds”.
The competing designs are believed to be very different, with Tenix proposing a variation of the Navantia 27,000 tonne design while ADI will propose a variation of the Armaris 22,000 tonne Mistral class ship.
Dr Nelson said the designs of both ships had “been adapted to meet specific Australian legislative and regulatory requirements”.
A joint statement released by Tenix/Navantia said the team was confident of winning the tender to build to ships.
The contract is especially important to Tenix following the company’s loss last year of a major contract to a South Australian ship builder.
Tenix Defence is the largest Australian-owned defence contractor.
