As Australia’s nuclear-powered submarine era draws closer, preparations to ensure Western Australia is ready for Submarine Rotational Force-West are gaining sharp focus. New classes of vessels will arrive, technologies will evolve, and demands on infrastructure, sustainment, safety systems, and governance will grow in both scale and sophistication. Babcock Australasia (Babcock) has proudly contributed to national security from Western Australia since 2001. With Babcock’s international pedigree woven into the state’s fabric, WA is well-positioned to meet these emerging demands – not by replicating what’s been done elsewhere, but by distilling the best of global practice into tailored solutions.
For nearly four decades, Fran Worthington has been at the sharp end of nuclear safety — designing and safeguarding infrastructure for some of the most tightly regulated facilities in the world. From decommissioning Europe’s most hazardous nuclear sites to overseeing safety frameworks at Cavendish Nuclear, he understands the systems, redundancies, and governance frameworks that keep nuclear operations safe. Now, as Babcock Australasia’s Managing Director of Nuclear and H&B Defence’s Chief Operating Officer, he is applying that same precision in support of Australia’s nuclear‑powered submarine ambitions.
“I’m a Chartered Mechanical Engineer by background, and nuclear is, at its core, good quality engineering,” Fran says. “It’s about understanding hazards, engineering in the fail-safes, and owning the responsibility.”
Chris Saint understands that responsibility from a different vantage point. Tours on HMS Vengeance and HMS Vanguard gave him an intimate understanding of what it means to operate beneath the ocean. As a Babcock Senior Engineering Manager, he draws on that experience to shape Australia’s sovereign nuclear capability and expand specialist services — from design to safety case integration — for nuclear infrastructure.
For Carl Blacow, maritime sustainment is both a professional and a personal commitment. A 25‑year veteran of the Royal Navy and the Royal Australian Navy, he is Program Delivery Director for the Warship Asset Management Agreement (WAMA) in the West, overseeing the upkeep of Australia’s Anzac‑class surface fleet. With two sons currently serving at sea, he knows that readiness and reliability are not abstract metrics — they are what keep crews safe and missions on track.
Though their paths to Babcock Australasia differ, Fran, Chris, and Carl share a career‑long through‑line: solving complex, high‑risk challenges in demanding naval and nuclear settings, where precision, safety, and readiness are non‑negotiable.
Babcock is preparing to bring that same calibre of people and experience to the next chapter of the Henderson Defence Precinct — as a partner, drawing on proven capabilities from similar transformations overseas.
Global Pedigree, Local Focus
From Plymouth, Rosyth, and Faslane in the UK to Devonport New Zealand and Canada, Babcock has delivered multi‑stakeholder programs.
At Devonport Royal Dockyard — the largest naval support site in Western Europe — Babcock is spearheading a circa £2.5 billion modernisation to prepare the yard for the Royal Navy’s future fleet. Simultaneously, it continues to deliver infrastructure management and waterfront services, as owner and Nuclear Licensee, sustaining nuclear‑powered submarines and surface ships.
In Rosyth, it delivered the Type 31 frigate design, build and infrastructure program — including the Venturer ship build hall — on time and budget, while in New Zealand it has been the RNZN’s strategic partner for over 30 years, managing the nation’s primary naval maintenance hub and a $220 million supply chain.
“At a global level, Babcock is an end‑to‑end engineering firm,” Fran says. “There is a strong value proposition there, because we can tap into a global resource, cross‑pollinate ideas, and bring in targeted expertise.”
“Our approach blends different expertise from within our team — many now locally based — with the ingenuity of Australian specialists,” Fran adds. “Together, we want to form a team that can walk the site and see not just what it is, but what it could be decades from now.”
Proven Delivery in Australia
Babcock’s depth of experience underpins its role as a key maritime sustainer across the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. In Australia, it has been trusted to sustain warships at Henderson for over two decades, including Anzac‑class frigates through WAMA, Offshore Patrol Vessels, Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment ships, and support vessels as Regional Maintenance Provider – West (RMP-W), and Collins submarine systems for ASC.
Across these contracts, Babcock’s predictive maintenance, asset tracking, and logistical foresight keep fleets at peak readiness. Recent work includes recovering hundreds of critical components from decommissioned frigate ex-HMAS Anzac and reintegrating them into Navy stores.
“Sustainment is making sure the Fleet can answer the call, whenever it comes. It’s thinking ahead, solving problems before they surface, and keeping those who serve at the centre of every decision,” Carl says.
Babcock also supports Royal Australian Navy vessels during foreign deployments and maintains Royal Navy assets in Australia — a model that will extend to Astute‑class submarines once they enter rotation.
Building Resilient Sovereign Capability
Babcock delivers complex marine programs through strong stakeholder management, ISO 44001‑aligned collaboration, and the integration of specialist capabilities from across domestic and international supply chains. In Australia, this means combining global expertise with investment in sovereign capability, ensuring local industry participation and resilient supply chains.
In WA’s competitive labour market, Babcock has sustained a robust workforce through local recruitment, graduate programs, and partnerships with universities and training providers. Consistent workload, strong engagement, and leadership alignment keep skilled personnel committed to Defence programs.
“We know how to balance the hard numbers of lifecycle cost projections with community engagement. In the UK, we’ve seen how a naval facility like Devonport, Plymouth can anchor a city’s economy, how supplier networks can be nurtured, and how training programs can turn local talent into world‑class specialists. Those insights can inform conversations in Henderson about how to govern, grow, and sustain the precinct for the long term,” Fran says.
Chris adds: “AUKUS offers WA a generational opportunity, requiring unified effort across sectors to deliver safe, capable nuclear assets. Build is hard, sustainment harder; safety remains paramount for crews and their families each time they deploy.”
Values-based partnerships
What emerges, according to Fran, is not a consultancy that drops in with a pre‑packaged solution, but a values-based partner — one that listens, adapts, integrates, and delivers purpose‑led outcomes through a vast ecosystem.
“Babcock’s value lies not in arriving with a ready‑made blueprint, but as a trusted advisor whose people have lived the complexities Henderson will soon face. These complexities range from managing the interface between nuclear and non‑nuclear operations to integrating new capabilities while sustaining the tempo of existing work,” he says.
“Every decision at Henderson touches national security, operational readiness, and sovereign sustainment. Our role is to share the knowledge that enables Defence to make informed choices — a steady hand when the stakes are high and the path forward is complex.”