Watpac Construction is seeking an access control system and sliding gates for the construction site of the Rheinmetall Defence Australia Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence (MILVEHCOE) in Queensland. A concurrent tender has been released for the design, supply and install external perimeter security fencing and boom gates.
The system will help secure the facility in which German military manufacturer Rheinmetall and its local subsidiary, Rheinmetall Defence Australia, will deliver of $A5 billion worth of light armoured vehicles, including the Boxer 8 x 8. The Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence (MILVEHCOE) and is envisaged to be a campus of high-quality industrial production, testing facilities and administration buildings in a landscaped setting that compliments its location adjacent to the Brisbane River at 7001 Robert Smith Street, Redbank.
Rheinmetall Defence Australia expects that the MILVEHCOE facility will employ around 470 staff over the first 10 years of operation. This will include 370 new long-term jobs, which in turn will allow Rheinmetall to transfer cutting-edge technologies to Australia in the areas of military vehicle design, production, turret systems, sensors, survivability, simulation and through life support and create a national asset for military vehicle production in Australia.
The MILVEHCOE is Rheinmetall’s largest facility outside Germany and this facility will also function as RDA’s Australia-Pacific headquarters. The Production Facility/Warehouse Building is the dominant structure on the site and has a total GFA of 32,057 sqm, which is comprised of the main production workshop (22,382 sqm), warehouse (7599 sqm) and mezzanine level offices and amenities (2060 sqm).
The production facilities within the building include 2 assembly lines, and facilities for welding, spray painting and sand blasting. The building also houses the MEC, heavy maintenance facilities and a small area on the mezzanine level for SEOSS testing. A 3-storey, 2934 sqm administration building is also planned which will house a range of functions including engineering, procurement, project management, finance, legal, marketing, management and employee recreation facilities.
The ground floor of the building contains, offices, reception, meeting rooms, display area and amenities. There is also a large kitchen facility and canteen capable of meeting the dining needs of all workers on the site. The first and second floors contain more offices, meeting rooms and amenities. There is also a large deck which provides a recreation area for staff on the first floor. The office areas of the building are oriented to overlook the Vehicle Compliance Test Track and the Brisbane River beyond that.
The design of the building is based on Rheinmetall’s established designs from their facilities in Europe. These design principles have then been modified to ensure the buildings are appropriate for a Queensland context and climate. The administrative activities on the site will also include a Corporate Function Facility for entertaining clients, briefing and training sessions. The building has a GFA of 376 sqm and contains a multi-purpose auditorium/display area, dining room and bar, catering and kitchen area, amenities and covered outdoor areas.
To meet the commissioning requirements for the vehicles produced the site will also contain:
* An Electro-magnetic Compatibility (EMC) Facility – which is an electro-magnetic compatibility test chamber and associated work spaces
* A Vehicle Compliance Test Track – which will be used to confirm that vehicles meet the agreed performance specifications prior to delivery to RDA’s clients
* A Weapons Test Firing Range – which is a 100-metre long, fully-enclosed, zero-safety-template firing range which will be used to test the main and secondary armament of the vehicles prior to delivery to RDA’s clients
* A facility to test the laser rangefinder contained in the Stablised Electro-optical Sighting System (SEOSS) which is a compact digital fire control unit that can be bolted on to the Boxer vehicle.
The tender closes on June 16, 2018.
