Ramona Adams
BAE Systems plans to build a digital shipyard in Adelaide, Australia if it wins the SEA 5000 Future Frigate contract to construct nine anti-submarine warfare ships for the Australian navy.
The British defense contractor said Thursday its Australia-based subsidiary will transfer intellectual property, technical data and naval shipbuilding processes to the Australian government in an effort to meet requirements of the Adelaide shipyard.
BAE offered its Global Combat Ship platform for the Future Frigate program in August, about a month after the company started construction of the first Type 26 Global Combat Ship for the U.K.’s navy.
The company will invest approximately $80 million in an information technology system to digitize the shipyard and support the technology transfer effort that will begin in 2018.
The digital shipyard will work to give authorized crew and suppliers access to all aspects of ship design, development and operations.
Glynn Phillips, CEO of BAE’s Australia-based subsidiary, said the company also aims to provide intelligent systems designed to report on ship performance and maintenance needs as well as order parts and maintenance services before docking.
