First look inside Sydney's soon-to-open new airport
Ayesha de Kretser is a senior reporter with The Australian Financial Review covering the aviation and tourism sectors. She has previously reported on banking, mining and commodity markets.
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Herald Sun
19 minutes ago
- Herald Sun
Osborne Naval Shipyard: Incredible transformation of SA's subs hub
First steel will be cut for Adelaide's nuclear-powered submarine project in buildings to be erected later this year after a top-level Osborne shipyard meeting kickstarted the project. In the first major on-site work for the $368bn AUKUS submarine venture, a demonstration facility at Osborne Naval Shipyard will test steel cutting, welding and other key procedures. In a further boost for the program, Defence Minister Richard Marles declared the complicated life extension to the Osborne-built Collins class submarines was 'a challenge that I think we can meet'. Australian Submarine Agency director-general Jonathan Mead said he had chaired a May 29 meeting at Osborne involving UK officials, including Defence Procurement and Industry Minister Maria Eagle. The meeting also included chiefs of all major players, including ASC, BAE Systems Australia, Australia Naval Infrastructure and AUKUS nuclear reactor supplier Rolls-Royce. 'We worked through some of the complex matters. This was not just an information gathering session. We made decisions on facilities down there. We intend to commence build on some of the production demonstration buildings by the end of this year,' Vice Admiral Mead said. 'Investing early into these demonstration facilities will give us confidence that when we commence the build proper, that when we're doing it for the first time, we'll be doing it correctly.' Vice Admiral Mead said this was designed to prevent time being lost during construction if parts, or modules, of the submarines were not fit for purpose. 'We'll cut steel. We'll test out the steel. We'll make sure that the dimensions are exact. We'll build valves, pumps, and other systems, plus piping and welding,' he said. 'We want to make sure that when we when we do our welding proper, that our welds are correct. The demonstration facilities will test out a range of skills and a range of capabilities that we will need in order to commence build proper of the submarine.' Vice Admiral Mead in March outlined plans for a $2bn Osborne transformation into the world's 'most advanced manufacturing centre' for the AUKUS program. Work started in March on a $500m Skills and Training Academy. Mr Marles, who in February labelled the Collins class life extensions a 'technically challenging thing', said up to $5bn would be pumped into the program over the next decade. He said this would 'ensure there is no capability gap until Australia's conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines are in service'. The Collins class sustainment program, conducted by ASC at Osborne Naval Shipyard, last December was listed by Defence as a Product of Concern 'to enable enhanced ministerial oversight of this critical capability'. Mr Marles accused the Coalition of ripping money from the Collins class sustainment program run at Osborne by ASC, which he argued 'left Australia with the risk of a significant gap in respect of our submarine capability'. This funding had been restored, he said, to ensure the ageing Collins class submarines remained 'a potent and credible platform for the Australian Defence Force'. 'As I've said previously, there is a challenge in relation to making sure that we are able to properly extend the life of the Collins class. But it is a challenge that I think we can meet,' he said. Mr Marles said more than 150 ASC workers were already training at the United States Pearl Harbor navy base on maintenance of Virginia class nuclear-powered submarines, with this expected to grow to about 200 people by the end of the year. The first ASC workers, from the firm's SA and WA operations, left for Pearl Harbor in mid-2024. Key roles in leading the sustainment of US and UK nuclear-powered submarines at Garden Island naval base, near Perth, are expected to start from as early as 2027. 'The fact that we've got 150 tradespeople in Pearl Harbor right now working on US Virginia class submarines is a proof point that we are investing the resources we need to make sure that we get the skilled workforce required to build and maintain our submarines in the future,' Mr Marles said. Originally published as Osborne again: Adelaide's defence precinct transformed from industrial wasteland to a hi-tech home of ships, subs and steel
Perth Now
26 minutes ago
- Perth Now
Ineos may use Chery platform for smaller SUV
The Ineos Fusilier may actually come to life after all, but with a little help from Chinese automaker Chery. According to Autocar, Ineos has opened discussions with Chery about using the Chery's iCar battery-electric (EV) and range-extender electric vehicle (EREV) platform architecture for the stalled Fusilier project. Ineos unveiled the Fusilier concept in February 2024 with a view to putting it into production by 2027 as smaller companion to the Grenadier SUV and Quartermaster ute. The Fusilier concept had a skateboard platform designed for pure electric and EREV drivetrains. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Supplied Credit: CarExpert By July that year, though, the company beat a strategic retreat, delaying the car's launch indefinitely due to 'reluctant consumer uptake of EVs, and industry uncertainty around tariffs, timings and taxation'. Using an existing platform from another automaker will save Ineos both time and money. Once the Fusilier is on the market, it will help Ineos meet its CO2 emissions targets in the UK and Europe. At present Ineos sells some of its cars as commercial vehicles, as they have less stringent targets. Currently the iCar brand is only available in China, although the brand's first model, the 03, is available in some export markets under the Chery or Jaecoo marques. 2025 iCar V23 Credit: CarExpert The iCar V23 (above), which was unveiled at the end of 2024 and measures just 4.2m long, is available with a 100kW/180Nm single-motor drivetrain with either a 47.3kWh or 59.9kWh battery, or a 155kW/292Nm dual-motor system with an 81.8kWh battery. Chery has confirmed it will launch the iCar brand in Europe and Australia, although in these markets the name is being tweaked to iCaur in order to avoid a trademark conflict with Apple. Should this collaboration with Ineos come about, it will be Chery's second SUV partnership with a foreign brand. Through its relationship with JLR (Jaguar Land Rover), it will build and launch the Freelander brand in China before taking it across the world. The new Freelander models will replace local production of Jaguar and Land Rover models at the company's joint venture factory in Changshu. MORE: Everything Ineos
West Australian
29 minutes ago
- West Australian
Ineos may use Chery platform for smaller SUV
The Ineos Fusilier may actually come to life after all, but with a little help from Chinese automaker Chery. According to Autocar , Ineos has opened discussions with Chery about using the Chery's iCar battery-electric (EV) and range-extender electric vehicle (EREV) platform architecture for the stalled Fusilier project. Ineos unveiled the Fusilier concept in February 2024 with a view to putting it into production by 2027 as smaller companion to the Grenadier SUV and Quartermaster ute. The Fusilier concept had a skateboard platform designed for pure electric and EREV drivetrains. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now . By July that year, though, the company beat a strategic retreat, delaying the car's launch indefinitely due to 'reluctant consumer uptake of EVs, and industry uncertainty around tariffs, timings and taxation'. Using an existing platform from another automaker will save Ineos both time and money. Once the Fusilier is on the market, it will help Ineos meet its CO2 emissions targets in the UK and Europe. At present Ineos sells some of its cars as commercial vehicles, as they have less stringent targets. Currently the iCar brand is only available in China, although the brand's first model, the 03, is available in some export markets under the Chery or Jaecoo marques. The iCar V23 (above), which was unveiled at the end of 2024 and measures just 4.2m long, is available with a 100kW/180Nm single-motor drivetrain with either a 47.3kWh or 59.9kWh battery, or a 155kW/292Nm dual-motor system with an 81.8kWh battery. Chery has confirmed it will launch the iCar brand in Europe and Australia , although in these markets the name is being tweaked to iCaur in order to avoid a trademark conflict with Apple. Should this collaboration with Ineos come about, it will be Chery's second SUV partnership with a foreign brand. Through its relationship with JLR (Jaguar Land Rover), it will build and launch the Freelander brand in China before taking it across the world. The new Freelander models will replace local production of Jaguar and Land Rover models at the company's joint venture factory in Changshu. MORE: Everything Ineos
