Babcock highlighting naval support capabilities at SEA AIR SPACE

Above: At reach support in Duqm, Oman.

With a legacy of naval support for programmes in the USA and Canada and in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, South Korea and increasingly in the Middle East, Babcock provides support to maritime programmes around the world.

Following the signing of a joint venture agreement between Babcock and the Oman Drydock Company, to form the Duqm Naval Dockyard (DND), the US Navy has been quick to capitalise on the strategic location of the warship repair and maintenance facility, with five significant projects already having been carried out in the facility which sits at the heart of the largest free trade area in the Middle East - the Special Economic Zone Authority Duqm (SEZAD).

One operational highlight for the Dockyard was the recent Mid-Term Availability Maintenance contract, awarded on behalf of the US Military Sealift Command (USMSC), by US Fleet Logistics Command at Bahrain. This extensive work package served as a springboard for similar work packages from the US Navy, and, in particular, the USMSC.

DND has now undertaken repair packages on US Navy Henry J Kaiser class tankers, as well as Alan Shepard class Dry Cargo and Ammunition ships. These vessels form the mainstay of seagoing logistics support to US Navy operations in the Middle East and the Indian Ocean. This ‘at-reach’ support is a hallmark of Babcock’s international footprint.

As well as providing  support services in the UK where Babcock is the sole provider of deep maintenance and refitting, in-service maintenance, in-service and through-life engineering support for the UK’s Royal Navy fleet of nuclear-powered submarines, Babcock is also a key naval support provider to the Canadian Government and the Royal Canadian Navy, providing critical operational and deep maintenance to Canada’s fleet of diesel-electric submarines.

In Australia, Babcock undertakes maintenance of the ANZAC frigate and key equipment on the Collins Class submarine. In New Zealand it operates the largest marine engineering and naval repair facility in the country, providing through-life support, custom design and retrofit, ship repair and marine engineering services for super yachts, cruise ships, research vessels and cargo ships, as well as the Royal New Zealand Navy’s surface fleet of ships.

Babcock is also an expert in the support of high integrity systems. It was, for example, recently successful in winning all of the equipment support aspects for the UK Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers and Type 45 destroyers under a programme called Marine System Support Partner (MSSP). It also has decades of experience of supporting US equipment embedded within various international naval platforms, providing local support to US systems no matter where they are in the world.

Further international success includes securing a seven year contract to produce and deliver weapons handling and launch equipment for the third boat set South Korean Jangbogo III submarine programme. Awarded by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering, it is due to run until 2024 and will see Babcock work with a global supply chain spanning the UK, Spain and South Korea and is an extension of the highly successful supply chain built up during the first and second boat-sets also delivered by Babcock. Babcock has also recently announced that it is to set up a base in Busan, South Korea to support existing and future Naval activity in the region.

The company’s long history in the design, build, assembly and maintenance of commercial and Naval platforms and equipment, includes submarines and surface ships. In addition, its extensive equipment management capability means that it can repair, overhaul and replace the right parts at the right time.

As a maritime trainer to the UK’s Royal Navy and commercial customers, it provides accredited support, equipping people to operate and maintain some of the most complex maritime platforms. It also provides immersive sea survival and safety training.