Navantia, the Spanish shipbuilder undertaking the construction of Australia’s new Air-Warfare Destroyers (AWD) and two amphibious ships (LHD), will now build 12 new landing craft to compliment the new Canberra-class landing helicopter dock (LHD) amphibious ships, following a decision by the Federal Government to award the construction contract to Navantia.
The decision, announced by the Minister for Defence Hon Stephen Smith and the Minister for Defence Materiel, Hon Jason Clare , comes just a fortnight after Navantia informed the Federal Government of the establishment of a wholly-owned Australian subsidiary, Navantia AUSTRALIA, which will have a permanent presence in Australia.
“ Navantia welcomes the decision on the LCM-1E landing craft and applauds the rigorous manner in which craft were assessed by the DMO ,” the company said. “ It further cements the close trading ties between Australia and Spain and the highly productive relationship that exists between Navantia, the Australian Defence Forces and a range of other suppliers to the Defence Materiel Organisation .”
Each LCM-1E landing craft weighs 110 tonnes. They are already in service with the Spanish navy. The first four will arrive with the first of the new LHDs in 2014.
The Federal Government announcement also comes on the eve an official visit to Australia by a senior delegation from Navantia, including CEO Senor Luis Cacho Quesada, who will discuss further opportunity to strengthen these ties.
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Source: Navantia, October 10, 2011.