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ASC Pty Ltd

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For the company building the Hunter class frigates for the Royal Australian Navy, seeASC 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 theAustralian Submarine Corporationand also known as theAustralian Shipbuilding Company,is anAustralian government business enterpriseinvolved with Australian naval shipbuilding, headquartered inOsborne, South Australia.It is notable for building and maintaining theCollins-class submarinefleet for theRoyal Australian Navy(RAN) and for building threeHobart-class destroyersfor the RAN, with the first delivered in mid-2017.

History

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The ASC construction facility on thePort River
HMASHobartunder construction by ASC at Osborne

The Australian Submarine Corporation was formed whenKockums(designer of theCollins-class submarine) became part of a joint venture with the Australian branch ofChicago Bridge & Iron,Wormald International,and theAustralian Industry Development Corporationto construct the six vessels.[8]

The ASC construction facility was established on previously undeveloped land on the bank of thePort River,atOsborne, 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 theState Governmentto 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 toJames Hardie Industriesto 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 wasnationalised,despite a trend by theHoward governmenttowardsprivatisationof 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 Shipbuildingwas structurally separated from ASC Pty Ltd, and acquired byBAE 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 atLot FourteeninAdelaide city centre,where research projects in fields such asrobotics,artificial intelligenceandmachine learningwould be undertaken.[27]

Products

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ASC rose to prominence in 1987 when it was contracted by theAustralian Governmentto design and manufacture a fleet of sixCollins-class submarinesfor theRoyal 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 theCollinsclass were hailed as the most advanced diesel-electric submarines in the world. The difficulties continued, however, and the very expensiveCollins-class submarines have been plagued with troubles and controversy ever since.[29][30][31]ASC maintains the sixCollins-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 aCollins-class submarine.

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

ASC was also set to construct twelveShortfin Barracuda Block 1Adiesel-electric submarines to replace theCollins-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 ofKeka-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 theRoyal Thai Navy.[35]

Possible privatisation

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

Notes

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  1. ^abc"Market based solutions".Australian government, The National Commission of Audit. Archived fromthe originalon 13 April 2015.Retrieved23 May2015.
  2. ^ab"ASC – About Us".asc.com.au.Archived fromthe originalon 23 April 2016.Retrieved26 April2016.
  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.Retrieved3 November2015.
  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 fromthe originalon 23 April 2016.Retrieved26 April2016.
  8. ^Yule & Woolner,The Collins Class Submarine Story,pp. 76–80
  9. ^abJones, inThe 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. ^abYule & 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.Retrieved24 July2020– via National Library of Australia.
  15. ^Historical details for ABN 64 008 605 034Australian Business Register
  16. ^"Our History - 2004".ASC Pty Ltd.Retrieved17 December2022.
  17. ^"ASC CHOSEN TO BUILD AIR WARFARE DESTROYERS".Defence Ministers & Parliamentary Secretary.31 May 2005. Archived fromthe originalon 2 July 2005.Retrieved17 December2022.
  18. ^"NUSHIPHobart(III) ".Royal Australian Navy.Archived fromthe originalon 6 October 2016.Retrieved6 October2016.
  19. ^Federal government announces Adelaide based shipbuilder ASC to be split into three companiesABC News11 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.Archivedfrom the original on 17 December 2022.Retrieved18 December2022.
  22. ^"Our History - 2018".ASC Pty Ltd.2018.Retrieved17 December2022.
  23. ^"Next-Generation Frigate Contract Awarded to ASC Shipbuilding Under BAE Australia - Seapower".seapowermagazine.org.Retrieved17 December2022.
  24. ^"ASC Shipbuilding renamed as four companies tapped for Hunter class - Australian Defence Magazine".Australian Defence Magazine.Archivedfrom the original on 3 March 2021.Retrieved17 December2022.
  25. ^"Our History - 2020".ASC Pty Ltd.2020.Retrieved17 December2022.
  26. ^"Shipbuilding continues in South Australia as final Air Warfare Destroyer delivered to Defence".Defence Ministers.18 December 2022.Archivedfrom the original on 17 December 2022.Retrieved18 December2022.
  27. ^Willis, Belinda (9 August 2022)."ASC to open city science and tech base".InDaily.Retrieved9 August2022.
  28. ^"ASC".Department of Trade and Economic Development. August 2007. Archived fromthe originalon 23 July 2008.Retrieved3 August2008.
  29. ^"AM – UK expert to head submarine review 20/07/2011".Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 20 July 2011.Retrieved27 December2011.
  30. ^"Ares Homepage".Aviation Week & Space Technology.Retrieved27 December2011.
  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.Retrieved3 August2008.[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).Retrieved26 April2016.
  35. ^"Australian ship builder to build landing craft for Royal Thai Navy".Pattaya Mail.Retrieved2 April2011.

References

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