Navantia to Build Two Supply Ships for Australia

The military shipbuilding industry in Spain is celebrating. Today, the news was announced regarding the signing of the contract in Australia for the construction of two combat replenishment ships (AOR) destined for the Royal Australian Navy, which will take shape at the Navantia shipyard in Ferrol. They will be ships similar to the BAC “Cantabria” of the Spanish Navy, which was deployed for nine months in the waters of the Australian continent, where it was evaluated by that country's Navy as a possible replacement for its supply fleet.

The contract is valued at nearly 700 million Australian dollars, about 430 million euros. In recent years, Australia has become an important client for Navantia. Two ships of the same model as the LHD “Juan Carlos I” were built at the Ferrol shipyard and then transported to the Australian country to finalize their armament afloat. Both units, named “Canberra” and “Adelaide,” are already in service, and blocks of the new destroyers that are being assembled have also been constructed.

The construction of these ships outside of Australia has generated political controversy in the country. The high command of the Royal Australian Navy has justified the decision based on both price and timelines. The finalist option from Daewoo was discarded, which has caused discontent in the Asian country. They will be delivered between 2019 and 2020, and their final cost will be lower than if they had been built in Australia. For the Ferrol shipyard, this will mean four years of work and about two thousand jobs.

Photo: Spanish Navy