WA to tap Babcock defence expertise

The regional arm of UK defence firm Babcock has signaled its intent to assist the state government’s development and growth of a WA defence industry, as AUKUS deadlines draw closer.

Under a memorandum of understanding between the pair, the government says Babcock Australasia will help create high paying, skilled jobs at the Australian Marine Complex in Henderson and at HMAS Stirling on Garden Island.

Babcock recently started maintenance work in Henderson, managing the sustainment of Royal Australian Navy ships in WA.

It also provides in-service support and maintenance of Australia’s Collins-class submarine fleet at Henderson and at Osborne in South Australia and sustains the nation’s Anzac class frigates.

Babcock has expertise in nuclear submarine capability and maintenance, a critical component as the state prepares to host nuclear submarines from the UK and US at Rockingham under the trilateral AUKUS partnership from 2027.

The company sustains the UK’s submarine fleet and manages two of the UK’s three nuclear bases.

“Babcock is a major player on the world stage when it comes to maintaining nuclear submarines,” Defence Industry Minister Paul Papalia said.

“I am confident this MoU will help place Western Australia at the forefront of the latest developments in the maritime defence industry.”

Training and Workforce Minister Simone McGurk said the MoU would provide Babcock more certainty, while giving the workforce more career opportunity.

Today’s announcement comes days after Babcock AUKUS and international managing director Sir Nick Hine spoke on the challenges ahead for WA and the concerns of industry at a defence-focused Business News Sector Briefing event.

Mr Hine singled out the role of government on all levels in setting the pace for things to come, and told the audience there were three key elements to submarine enterprise success.

“You need the right number of people with the rights skills in the right place,” he said.

“You need the right amount of material, by which I largely mean supply chain.

“And you need the right infrastructure to put the first two things together.

“All of those things are needed in Western Australia, and they’re needed in, let’s say 30 months, when [Submarine Rotational Force West] arrives.”

Babcock’s work in WA is delivered with the support of 500 SMEs, and the state government said the MoU would provide opportunities for WA businesses to become part of the company’s global supply chain.

Under the AUKUS agreement, the US and UK will have a rotational nuclear submarine presence at HMAS Stirling as early as 2027.

Australia would then purchase its own nuclear submarines from the US in the early 2030s.