Much has been accomplished since the US, UK and Australia announced plans to develop a new generation of nuclear-powered attack submarines together, but much more remains to be done, as a November 2023 report published by the House of Commons Library explains. The report details many of the challenges facing the AUKUS nuclear submarine programme […]
Thales Australia says work is underway to develop a masterplan for the company’s Carrington site in order to establish a ‘Maritime Autonomy and SME Collaboration Precinct’ to support the Royal Australian Navy’s Mine Countermeasures and Military Survey Capability SEA1905-1 programme, should Thales be selected to participate in it. For more than 30 years, the Carrington […]
130m-long vessel to be fitted with a 40MWh battery energy storage system that will power a series of electric propulsion system and waterjets In a significant change to earlier plans, Australian shipyard Incat Tasmania has announced that the 130m lightweight inland ro-pax ordered by Uruguayan operator Buquebús, first announced in 2019 and already under construction, […]
The August 2023 edition of the official journal of The Royal Institution of Naval Architects’ Australian division, The Australian Naval Architect, is now available free of charge. As well as the usual round-up of section news, meetings and activities, you’ll find coverage of Incat Tasmania’s latest delivery, the 76 m high-speed passenger catamaran El Dorado […]
Advanced Navigation has launched a subsea robotics manufacturing and R&D centre in Balcatta, Western Australia, to accelerate production of its Hydrus-branded autonomous underwater bot. Spanning just over 22,255m2, the new site will serve as a hub for product development and manufacturing, and will help to grow the group’s underwater AI business. On-site resources include “testing […]
Dongara Marine of Geraldton, Western Australia has been contracted to build two pilot boats for Fremantle Ports. The duo is being developed in partnership with naval architect Southerly Designs, to Australia’s National Standard for Commercial Vessels. Ship & Boat International understands that both vessels will be very similar to the Dongara-/ Southerly-produced Berkeley class, which […]
Designed and built for “extreme use, without compromise”, the Queensland Police Service’s latest patrol boat delivery features a longer than usual waterline for a 12m craft The Queensland Police Service (QPS) in north-east Australia is bolstering its waterborne activities with the first in a series of safe, seaworthy and highly customisable patrol vessels. Designed and […]
In October 2022, Austal Australia took possession of a decommissioned Armidale-class patrol boat, the former HMAS Maitland, from the Commonwealth of Australia, to commence planning, modification, and test and evaluation of autonomous and remotely operated systems. The Patrol Boat Autonomy Trial (PBAT) is a collaboration between Austal, the Trusted Autonomous Systems Defence Cooperative Research Centre […]
Australian robotics specialist Advanced Navigation is preparing to roll out its Hydrus submersible drone in Q4 this year. The Hydrus has been designed as a simple-to-use, compact tool for undersea research, survey and exploration, weighing 6.7kg and measuring 470mm x 260mm x 260mm, making it possible for a single user to launch it by hand. […]
Warship Technology January 2022
Classification society Bureau Veritas has developed a particularly close working relationship with the Australian defence sector and the Royal Australian Navy and is helping it to develop a comprehensive set of rules specific to naval ships. The goal is to establish standards for its entire fleet to improve risk management, assess safety and structural defects, and help ensure all vessels are fit for purpose.
Life Cell Marine Safety of Australia, developer of the Life Cell marine flotation device, has partnered with the National Maritime Safety Authority (NMSA) of Papua New Guinea (PNG) to distribute a specially modified version of its life-saving device among the country’s small boat fleet, free of charge. The initial pilot scheme will see […]
Warship Technology October 2021
Under the ‘AUKUS’ partnership unveiled in September 2021, the Royal Australian Navy is to build a new class of nuclear-powered attack submarines, but questions abound about their design, how and where they will be built and how they will be maintained and manned.