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ASC Pty Ltd

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For the company building the Hunter class frigates for the Royal Australian Navy, see ASC Shipbuilding.

ASC Pty Ltd
FormerlyAustralian Submarine Corporation
IndustryShipbuilding[1]
Founded1985; 39 years ago (1985)[2]
FounderKockums
Chicago Bridge & Iron
Wormald International
Australian Industry Development Corporation
Headquarters
Osborne, South Australia
Key people
Bruce Carter (Chairman)[3]
Stuart Whiley (CEO)[4]
ProductsNaval Vessels[1]
RevenueIncrease >$1 billion[5] (2015)
Increase $29.2 million[6] (2017)
OwnerGovernment of Australia[7]
Number of employees
Over 2,400[2] (2015)
Websitewww.asc.com.au

ASC Pty Ltd, formerly the Australian Submarine Corporation and also known as the Australian Shipbuilding Company, is an Australian government business enterprise involved with Australian naval shipbuilding, headquartered in Osborne, South Australia. It is notable for building and maintaining the Collins-class submarine fleet for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and for building three Hobart-class destroyers for the RAN, with the first delivered in mid-2017.

History

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The ASC construction facility on the Port River
HMAS Hobart under construction by ASC at Osborne

The Australian Submarine Corporation was formed when Kockums (designer of the Collins-class submarine) became part of a joint venture with the Australian branch of Chicago Bridge & Iron, Wormald International, and the Australian Industry Development Corporation to construct the six vessels.[8]

The ASC construction facility was established on previously undeveloped land on the bank of the Port River, at Osborne, South Australia.[9] Work on the site began on 29 June 1987, and it was opened in November 1989.[9][10] South Australia had been selected as the site of the construction facility based on the proposed location of the facility and promises by the State Government to help minimise any problems caused by workers unions.[11]

By the end of 1990, Chicago Bridge & Iron and Wormald International had both sold their shares in ASC.[12] The shares were bought up by Kockums and the Australian Industry Development Corporation, with some of Kockums' shares then sold to James Hardie Industries to maintain an Australian majority ownership of the company.[12] On 5 April 2000, the shares in ASC held by Kockums were bought out and the company was nationalised, despite a trend by the Howard government towards privatisation of government-owned companies.[13] In 1991 the company had brought the insolvent Carrington Slipways in New South Wales to expand operations.[14]

The company's name was changed from the Australian Submarine Corporation Pty Ltd to ASC Pty Ltd on 1 October 2004 to position it as a supplier of naval combat vessels in addition to being a specialist submarine supplier and maintainer.[15] The name was specifically selected to reflect "the company’s future business and shipbuilding activities" and the establishment of their shipbuilding operations.[16]

On 31 May 2005, ASC was selected by the Australian Government as the preferred shipbuilder for RAN's Air Warfare Destroyers (AWDs) under the SEA 4000 acquisition contract, one the largest in Australian Defence history. The Australian Government granted first pass approval for the project and provided $455 million to ASC towards "the next phase of activities including further design work, workforce skilling, initial infrastructure investment and facilities construction."[17]

In October 2016, the Federal Government confirmed that ASC would be dissolved into three companies focused on different elements of current ASC works. One would be dedicated to the Air Warfare Destroyers, one to continued submarine sustainment and development and one to infrastructure development. Dissolution was expected to be complete by 2017.[18][19]

Under agreements struck with the South Australian Government, the newly formed infrastructure owner and manager, Australian Naval Infrastructure Pty Ltd (ANI), completed the acquisition of the Techport business in November 2017, enabling it to effectively consolidate ownership of the newly named Osborne Naval Shipyard precinct. Assets acquired included the Common User Facility and all shipyard infrastructure.[20]

On 27 July 2018, ASC delivered the second Air Warfare Destroyer, NUSHIP Brisbane (III)(DDG 41) to the Australian Defence Force.[21] In December 2018, ASC Shipbuilding was structurally separated from ASC Pty Ltd, and acquired by BAE Systems Australia. In 2021, ASC Shipbuilding is officially re-named BAE Systems Australia Maritime.[22][23][24]

In 2020, ASC and CSIRO begin a two-year research collaboration looking to more efficiently repair precision submarine components by perfecting ‘cold spray’ additive manufacturing techniques.[25] On 28 Feb 2020, ASC delivered the third and final Air Warfare Destroyer, NUSHIP Sydney (V)(DDG 42) to the ADF, marking the end of the shipbuilding for the Air Warfare Destroyer project SEA 4000.[26]

In August 2022 ASC announced the opening of a new science and technology hub at Lot Fourteen in Adelaide city centre, where research projects in fields such as robotics, artificial intelligence and machine learning would be undertaken.[27]

Products

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ASC rose to prominence in 1987 when it was contracted by the Australian Government to design and manufacture a fleet of six Collins-class submarines for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN)[28] in what was the largest defence contract ever signed in Australia. Although the submarine project was marred with difficulties throughout the 1990s, upon completion the Collins class were hailed as the most advanced diesel-electric submarines in the world. The difficulties continued, however, and the very expensive Collins-class submarines have been plagued with troubles and controversy ever since.[29][30][31] ASC maintains the six Collins-class submarines for their operational lifespans under a A$3.5 billion contract with RAN.[32] To date, no other navy has expressed interest in buying a Collins-class submarine.

In 2005, the company was selected by the Australian Government, ahead of two other bidders, as the preferred shipbuilder for three new AEGIS-based Australian air warfare destroyers (AWD) under the Sea 4000 Project. The AWDs are scheduled to begin service in 2013.[33]

ASC was also set to construct twelve Shortfin Barracuda Block 1A diesel-electric submarines to replace the Collins-class submarine currently in service with the Royal Australian Navy.[34] However, this was later to be cancelled in favour for a nuclear powered attack submarine.

ASC also has contracts for production of Keka-class coastal patrol boats, produced in Hong Kong for use of Hong Kong maritime police, and the Series T.81 produced in Thailand for the use of the Royal Thai Navy.[35]

Possible privatisation

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In February 2014, the National Commission of Audit recommended in its Phase One Report that the Commonwealth sell its interest in ASC.[1]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c "Market based solutions". Australian government, The National Commission of Audit. Archived from the original on 13 April 2015. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  2. ^ a b "ASC – About Us". asc.com.au. Archived from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  3. ^ "Board – About Us – ASC". ASC.
  4. ^ "Executive – About Us – ASC". ASC.
  5. ^ Donnellan, Angelique (3 November 2015). "Adelaide shipbuilder ASC records $22m profit, bouncing back from 2014 loss". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  6. ^ Pisani, Ashleigh (1 November 2017). "Hoping to profit from top results". Westside Weekly (Newspaper.). Messenger. p. 11.
  7. ^ "ASC – Board". asc.com.au. Archived from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  8. ^ Yule & Woolner, The Collins Class Submarine Story, pp. 76–80
  9. ^ a b Jones, in The Royal Australian Navy, p. 244
  10. ^ Yule & Woolner, The Collins Class Submarine Story, p. 127
  11. ^ Yule & Woolner, The Collins Class Submarine Story, pgs 87-8, 128
  12. ^ a b Yule & Woolner, The Collins Class Submarine Story, pp. 181–4
  13. ^ Yule & Woolner, The Collins Class Submarine Story, p. 312
  14. ^ "ASC buys Carrington Slipways". The Canberra Times. Vol. 65, no. 20, 549. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 17 July 1991. p. 17. Retrieved 24 July 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  15. ^ Historical details for ABN 64 008 605 034 Australian Business Register
  16. ^ "Our History - 2004". ASC Pty Ltd. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
  17. ^ "ASC CHOSEN TO BUILD AIR WARFARE DESTROYERS". Defence Ministers & Parliamentary Secretary. 31 May 2005. Archived from the original on 2 July 2005. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
  18. ^ "NUSHIP Hobart (III)". Royal Australian Navy. Archived from the original on 6 October 2016. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  19. ^ Federal government announces Adelaide based shipbuilder ASC to be split into three companies ABC News 11 October 2016
  20. ^ Australian Naval Infrastructure Pty Ltd (2017–2018). "ANI Annual Report 2017-2018" (PDF). ani.com.au/about-ani/.
  21. ^ "Second Air Warfare Destroyer delivered | Defence Ministers". Defence Ministers - Defence Australia. 27 July 2018. Archived from the original on 17 December 2022. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  22. ^ "Our History - 2018". ASC Pty Ltd. 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
  23. ^ "Next-Generation Frigate Contract Awarded to ASC Shipbuilding Under BAE Australia - Seapower". seapowermagazine.org. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
  24. ^ "ASC Shipbuilding renamed as four companies tapped for Hunter class - Australian Defence Magazine". Australian Defence Magazine. Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
  25. ^ "Our History - 2020". ASC Pty Ltd. 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
  26. ^ "Shipbuilding continues in South Australia as final Air Warfare Destroyer delivered to Defence". Defence Ministers. 18 December 2022. Archived from the original on 17 December 2022. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  27. ^ Willis, Belinda (9 August 2022). "ASC to open city science and tech base". InDaily. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  28. ^ "ASC". Department of Trade and Economic Development. August 2007. Archived from the original on 23 July 2008. Retrieved 3 August 2008.
  29. ^ "AM – UK expert to head submarine review 20/07/2011". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 20 July 2011. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
  30. ^ "Ares Homepage". Aviation Week & Space Technology. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
  31. ^ "Engine problems cripple Collins-class submarines". The Australian. 21 October 2009.
  32. ^ Yule & Woolner, The Collins Class Submarine Story, p. 315
  33. ^ "Australian Submarine Corporation wins navy ship tender". The Advertiser. 30 May 2005. Retrieved 3 August 2008.[dead link‍]
  34. ^ Henderson, Anna (26 April 2016). "Australian submarines to be built in Adelaide after French company DCNS wins $50b contract". ABC News. ABC News (Australia). Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  35. ^ "Australian ship builder to build landing craft for Royal Thai Navy". Pattaya Mail. Retrieved 2 April 2011.

References

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