Smacks of political pork barreling to me. The AWD's and the LHD's are or were taken to Williamstowwn for completion. Now the new ships are to be taken to a yard that specialises in aluminium ferries for completion. Would the fact that WA has a conservative state government have anything to do with the decision?
It's not quite that black and white or political pork barreling.
AWD's were and are completed in Adelaide, the LHD's were completed in Williamstown.
Simply put Adelaide is running out of room with the planned fleet of 9 Frigates that will over time morth into a continuous build of 12 Frigates and Destroyers as well as a 12 strong submarine fleet. That yard is tapped out so no chance of building the OPV's there at all.
Williamstown, While being a Victorian I'd love to have seen us building them the yard is of an old layout. We are shifting more towards ship lift's the graving docks as such a system is better for the ships and the financials. Theoretically could we modify Williamstown to do that? Yes, Legally? No. The Alfred graving dock is heritage listed (rightly so seeing it was opened 143 years ago) so it would be impossible to build over it and create a ship lift.
That leaves Henderson (AMC - Australian Marine Comlex) and ignoring which company may get the work it is our best shipbuilding site infrastructure wise outside of ASC if not better.
Now will Austal get the work? At first I thought so due to the work being undertaken on other ships but as was rightly pointed out to me by alexsa the level of work being undertaken at the moment with the ASMD is not a job taken on often so may be room at BAE to do so.
In the end it will depend on if BAE invests the dollar's to expand there facility there or not. If they expand it then they will be the likely final assembler, If not then Austal is the only other choice.
While from what has been mentioned on here Austal management should be keelhauled that does not mean the facility is unable to produce steel hulled vessels. Steel is generally far easier to work with then aluminum, and there are a number of businesses around Henderson that do some excellent work with steel allowing Austal a starting work force.