Babcock receives maintenance contracts for RNZN’s frigate under GSC Program

January 24, 2025, by Fatima Bahtić

Babcock Australasia has secured the first Global Supply Chain (GSC) Program contracts for the maintenance work on a Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) frigate.

Five contracts were awarded to Franmarine, Allship Engineering, and Ausbright Electrical for maintenance work conducted on the Anzac-class frigate HMNZS Te Kaha, consisting of an in-water hull inspection and clean, an A-bracket reading, and mechanical and electrical authorized officer services.

The newly executed agreements are the first secured by Babcock through the Global Supply Chain (GSC) Program – an initiative designed to develop a sustainable and resilient sovereign defense capability by integrating Australian solutions into international markets.

As part of its commitment to putting Australian suppliers front and center on the global stage, the team is strategically located in both Australia and the UK to identify capability gaps and provide a continuous gateway to international trade opportunities.

Babcock’s GSC Program team has participated in eight international events in the past six months.

“The Defence Industry Development Strategy 2024 listed the expansion of the GSC Program as a priority for the nation. Babcock has hit the ground running with a dedicated delivery team to identify, assess and qualify national suppliers with capability solutions across all Technology Readiness Levels and this hard work is now bearing fruit with our supply partners scaling their solutions internationally,” Babcock Australasia CEO Andrew Cridland said.

“Babcock is committed to finding, advocating and providing long-term contract opportunities for our supplier base in a highly competitive export market, so we are thrilled to have secured this first lot of contracts through the Global Supply Chain Program,” Babcock Australasia Global Supply Chain Program Manager Kellie Jenkins added.

“By evaluating our global supply chain and identifying areas where local capabilities from the likes of Franmarine Allship Engineering and Ausbright Electrical can be integrated, we are not just enhancing our operational efficiency but also fostering a sustainable ecosystem for the defence industry.”

“Allship Engineering is proud to be part of Babcock’s Global Supply Chain Program, supporting the HMNZS Te Kaha project. This collaboration highlights the diverse capability of Australian SMEs, and we are excited to contribute our expertise in marine engineering to the growing global defence market,” Allship Engineering Managing Director Andrew Neaves noted.

“Having Babcock advocate for local SMEs in the global arena and create tangible opportunities has opened an exciting new pipeline for Ausbright. We look forward to continuing our involvement with Babcock and its GSC Program into the future,” Ausbright Director Nicholas Grbin concluded.

Credit: Royal New Zealand Navy

To remind, Babcock Australasia was recently awarded a contract to provide lift and hoist systems for Australian Navy’s first three Hunter-class frigates.