Babcock has recently started work in support of submarine and
shipbuilding company ASC on the Full Cycle Docking (FCD) on Collins
Class submarine HMAS Rankin, under Babcock's long-term through-life
support (TLS) contract with ASC.
During the refit Babcock will be undertaking refurbishment work
to its weapons launch equipment and submerged signal ejectors, plus
hydraulic valves. The company will also be undertaking work to the
submarine air purification unit, including removal, refurbishment,
on-board assembly, set to work and commissioning. Most of the
refurbishment work will be undertaken at Babcock's Techport
premises, with some items processed at its Henderson site in
Western Australia.
Babcock's role will also encompass engineering work in support
of corrosion surveys, including engineering analysis and remedial
work recommendations relating to the torpedo tubes, rear doors,
flap valve, inlet duct doors and bow caps. In addition, the company
will be providing site engineering support and general engineering
support for production activities, deviation permit management,
troubleshooting, setting to work and commissioning.
HMAS Rankin is the sixth and final Collins class submarine and
this docking is the last of the first round of FCDs, which began
with the Collins FCD in 2000. Babcock has been involved in all the
FCDs, the latest of which (on HMAS Sheean) is scheduled to complete
next year. The project will involve 30,000 hours of labour from
Babcock's FCD team to manage and undertake the scope of work.
Babcock has already begun work on weapons launch and submerged
signal ejector assemblies which have been removed from the
submarine and are in the process of being stripped and
surveyed.
"Having the long-term TLS contract with ASC has enabled us to
make an early start on the Full Cycle Docking work in order to meet
the customer's schedule while still making efficiency savings,"
Babcock Pty Ltd (Systems and Equipment) Managing Director Pat
Donovan said.
Babcock is the strategic support partner for the UK Royal Navy's
submarine force, undertaking all refits and maintenance work on the
submarine flotilla, as well as providing in-service engineering
support to the flotilla under the Submarine Engineering Support
Contract (SESC). Babcock is currently working with the UK Ministry
of Defence to develop and implement a new approach to in-service
submarine support known as Flotilla Output Management to deliver
improved availability at reduced cost on a sustainable basis, via a
performance-driven relationship that makes best use of MoD and
industry resources. In Canada Babcock was awarded the Victoria
Class In-Service Support contract in 2008 - a comprehensive
long-term, multi-vessel, performance-managed support contract for
the submarine class, which seeks to transform the delivery of
submarine maintenance, technical support and post-design activity
to Canada's Department of National Defence.