19 Sep 2023

Global collaboration in action at Devonport

Collaboration was in action at our Devonport facility last week as we co-hosted a group of Australian visitors on site alongside our customer. As well as Babcock’s CEO Australia Andrew Cridland, Hon Paul Papalia CSC, MLA Western Australian Minister for Defence Industry, headed up the group of visitors which also included nuclear, science and innovation representatives.

In support of the AUKUS programme, the purpose of their visit was to fact find and understand more about specialist training, skills and social value, decommissioning and future maintenance of submarines. Devonport provides an ideal location as the largest Naval Base in Western Europe and the UK’s sole licensed site for the refitting and refuel/defuel of nuclear-powered submarines.

Mike Donnington Programme Director Submarines and Brendan Staniforth Business Planning Director, were both on hand to answer any queries and accompanied the visitors to our Submarine Refit Complex (SRC), 10 Dock viewing platform where they were able to view the extensive infrastructure development work taking place across the site, and the area housing the Laid Up Submarines (LUSM).

Andrew Cridland, said: “We are working very closely with our stakeholders in the Western Australian Government as we progress the AUKUS partnership. I’m very grateful to our Babcock and MoD colleagues for hosting this visit which enables us to continue to strengthen our relationship with the Minister and his team.”

Brendan Staniforth added: “This visit is a great example of collaboration in action. We are proud of what we deliver here at Devonport and were pleased to showcase, not only the specialist work we undertake and our new skills academy, but the incredible infrastructure development programme underway, which is the most significant for decades and one that is literally changing the skyline of the site. We remain fully committed to supporting our customer in delivering a number of critical projects and see the AUKUS programme as an incredible opportunity to work more closely with colleagues from across the globe to play our part in creating a safe and secure world, together.”