world of warships best ships for secondary build

New landing craft were identified as a priority and the Albanese government ordered a secondary review of the Navy’s surface fleet it said would be completed quickly. The Defence Strategic Review unveiled in April found Australia needed a Defence Force focused on maritime and amphibious missions and armed with long-range strike weapons. Mr Gregg said Austal was also poised to build warships, including specialist vessels, for the Royal Australian Navy at its Henderson shipyards south of Perth and to potentially train staff to support nuclear-powered submarines that will be based at nearby Garden Island under the AUKUS agreement. The latest Littoral combat ship to come from the Austal shipyards in Alabama will become the only US Navy vessel ever commissioned outside the US in another sign of strengthening ties under the AUKUS defence pact signed with Australia and the United Kingdom.

Street Talk has also reported that interested parties include New York’s JF Lehman & Company, Cerberus Capital Management and Washington’s Arlington Capital Partners.ĭefence Minister Richard Marles and Caroline Kennedy, the US ambassador to Australia, are expected to gather with senior US Navy figures in Sydney on Saturday for the commissioning of the Austal-built USS Canberra. “It is all theoretical, but one would assume that a US owner would be acceptable to the US Navy,” he said.

Asked about the change-of-control provisions on Wednesday, Austal chief executive Paddy Gregg said any party interested in acquiring the company would need to satisfy themselves they would gain that approval.Īustal chief executive Paddy Gregg with the USS Canberra in Sydney Harbour. Korean conglomerate Hanwha, which The Australian Financial Review’s Street Talk column reported had engaged Macquarie Capital to prepare a bid for Austal, is the suitor most likely to struggle to be approved by the US Navy.

Austal counts Andrew and Nicola Forrest as its major shareholder, with a 19.9 per cent stake. The provisions and the strategic importance of the work being done by Austal – including warships, coastguard vessels and submarines – mean only a narrow field of private equity funds, mainly in the US, will be able to make a takeover offer for the company.

The United States Navy has written onerous change-of-control provisions into long-running contracts potentially worth billions of dollars with Austal, the ASX-listed shipbuilder fielding interest from acquisitive international firms.

World of warships best ships for secondary build