Defence Industry Minister Meets with Rolls Royce in the UK

13 Dec 2016 Media release

The Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, today visited Rolls-Royce in Bristol, United Kingdom where he met with senior executives and undertook a site visit.

Mr Pyne said the visit to the Rolls-Royce facilities included discussion on Australian defence industry policy.

“During our discussions I placed particular emphasis on how Rolls-Royce should grow its footprint and activities in Australia in support of Royal Australian Navy capability,” he said.

Minister Pyne outlined Australia’s substantial military modernisation program that will provide around $195 billion for investment in Defence capabilities over the coming decades.

“Australia’s continuous naval shipbuilding program is the most ambitious investment in our recent history,” Minister Pyne said.

“My priority is to ensure the Australian shipbuilding industry is able to deliver and sustain our continuous build program.”

Minister Pyne also noted Rolls-Royce’s impressive Global Supply Chain, and was keen to explore and identify opportunities for Australian industry engagement.

“We discussed how Rolls-Royce might best support Australian Industry in the near term through the Global Supply Chain Program,” he said.

“I was very impressed to learn that Rolls-Royce has a proud history of supplying powerful engines to the most powerful navies in the world, and in partnership with KBR provides whole of ship support services for our Navy’s LHD’s and replenishment vessels at Garden Island.”