2 Feb 2024

Australian Secretary of the Department of Defence visits Devonport

It was great to recently have the opportunity to showcase the important role we play in international defence to the Australian Secretary of the Department of Defence, Mr Greg Moriarty, including the critical work we deliver providing through-life support to the UK’s submarines.

In this collaborative visit with our customer, Mr Moriarty was joined at our Devonport facility by Babcock CEO David Lockwood and our Nuclear Sector CEO, Harry Holt, alongside members of Devonport’s leadership team and Royal Navy, Ministry of Defence and Submarine Delivery Agency personnel.

The group were taken on a tour of the site, which is based in the largest naval base in Western Europe and includes the UK’s sole licensed site for the refitting and refuel/defuel of nuclear-powered submarines, visiting several key areas. Guests discovered how we’re applying engineering excellence, the latest technology and combining our expertise with a practical mindset to deliver critical programmes for our customers.

The group stopped by the Submarine Refit Complex and 5 and 3 Basin, where as well as gaining a deeper understanding of submarine maintenance, they also had the rare opportunity to see the submarines at the end of their lifecycle. Our employees, including a number of our apprentices, also enjoyed have the opportunity to chat to those on the tour, providing a valuable insight into the important and complex work our people do to maintain the nation’s submarines.

Babcock CEO, David Lockwood said: “The visit provided a great opportunity for the Australian Secretary of the Department of Defence to see first-hand how we manage complex assets and infrastructure and share best practice on the critical submarine programmes Babcock delivers in the UK across sustainment, nuclear safety and stewardship.”