Concept art of a DomeShelter structure being used as a deployable hangar. Image: DomeShelter.
WA-based industrial shelter manufacturer DomeShelter Australia has been awarded a contract by the Royal Australian Air Force’s Air Warfare Centre to supply two deployable hangar kits.
The kits comprise a steel frame with a fabric canopy. When installed onto 20-foot (six-metre) shipping containers, the kit creates a cyclone-rated, fire-retardant hangar that is easily erected and quickly redeployable.
One of the key findings of April’s Defence Strategic Review (DSR) was that the Australian Defence Force must be fully integrated and be able to formulate a strategy of denial through the application of several critical capabilities, including a networked expeditionary air operations capability.
DomeShelter Australia says its cost-effective infrastructure is suitable for rapid or interim capability upgrades, relocatable and deployable force infrastructure, and permanent infrastructure on ADF bases. It says the acquisition of these kits by the RAAF is a demonstration of how the integrated force can simultaneously meet government direction in responding to the DSR, and support Australian industry.
The sale to the RAAF comes after a concerted 18-month campaign by the company to break into the all-important and growing Defence market.
In a company statement, director Trevor Fawkes said: “We’ve been delivering our shelters across Australia and the globe for over 25 years now, primarily to mining and oil and gas clients. Defence has many uses for fabric structures, and these are the first of many we may supply to meet the ADF’s needs.”
Defence and Aerospace lead Paul Byrne added: “We are pleased the Air Warfare Centre selected DomeShelter Australia to supply these hangars. We will continue working with the ADF, defence primes, and members of the defence industry to provide them high-quality, fit-for-purpose, rapid infrastructure solutions.”
DomeShelter’s products are 100 per cent Australian-manufactured. The company was founded in the mid-1990s, and its shelters have applications as hangars, warehouses, workshops, humanitarian and disaster response shelters, weapons systems hides, and industrial facilities.
