Quality Issues Hit AWD Block Fabrication

9 Nov 10

It has been reported that there are quality issues with the blocks being fabricated for the Air Warfare Destroyers in Victoria.

The Australian has reported that the $8 billion plan to build three new air warfare destroyers (AWDs) for the RAN has had its first serious setback through the ‘botched’ construction of the central keel block of the first ship.

According to the report it appears that the central keel block was built to inaccurate dimensions as a result of faulty welding and ‘inadequate quality control’ at the Williamstown shipyards, managed by AWD subcontractor BAE Systems.

The AWD project manager was reported as confirming that there had been difficulties in block fabrication of the warship at Williamstown which would affect production schedules.

“The difficulties cannot be attributed to a single cause but production start-up issues experienced by the shipbuilder, some difficulties in specific know-how and technical data have contributed,” the Alliance told The Australian.

“The difficulties resulted in an unexpected distortion in a component of one of the blocks.”

The distortion of the central keel block - which weighs about 200 tonnes, measures 20m by 17m and supports important heavy machinery - made it potentially incompatible with other blocks of the ship being built in Adelaide by ASC and Newcastle by Forgacs.

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