Cold Logic to construct and install cold and cool rooms for the Hunter class frigates

November 2023

Cold Logic has been awarded a multi-million dollar contract to construct and install cold and cool rooms for the first batch of three Hunter class frigates.

Partnering with UK company Ernest West & Beynon (EWB), Cold Logic will leverage EWB’s experience in supplying into the Type 26 program, which is the reference design for the Hunter class frigates, which are being built at Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia.

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ASC is the sustainer of Australia’s Collins Class submarine fleet and responsible for activities including the Adelaide-based Full Cycle Docking, an extensive maintenance and upgrade refit which is undertaken on each boat after a decade of service. Cold Logic and Ace Panel Systems, two South Australian-based businesses, were engaged as part of the current submarine FCD to deliver a refrigerated panel refresh after age-related deterioration was detected. 

The decision to undertake a full refresh of the submarine galley’s walk-in refrigeration space, and insulated refrigeration panel, is a first for the Collins program. It will ensure consistent performance of the area over the next 20 years, delivering a superior outcome when compared to spot repairs.  

Collaboration between Cold Logic, Ace Panel Systems and ASC’s engineering and trade staff on the schedule and methodology of works achieved a seamless installation of the new panel on board, with correct fitment and required moisture barriers.

Cold Logic Manager for Defence Business Dr Michael Riese said: “This is the first time since the build of HMAS Collins that this type of complete remove and replace for a specific space on board one of Australia’s submarines has been performed”. “Working closely with ASC and Ace Panel Systems, we were able to make sure that the newly installed material met or exceeded the performance requirements set out for the class during the original platform design,” Dr Riese said.

Dr Riese said: “The welfare of Australia’s sailors and the operational capability of the nation’s submarines is at the heart of our involvement in the defence industry, and why we formed a division specifically dedicated to the defence sector over four years ago. 

Cold Logic is a wholly Australian owned and operated specialist refrigeration and controlled environment provider. The company was founded in 1984 and is the only ISO 9001 accredited provider in Australia that is able to offer the entire life cycle from design to manufacture and installation to through-life-support for services of this kind to its clients. With its headquarters in Port Adelaide, South Australia, the company is closely located to critical defence hubs, such as the Osborne Naval Shipyard, Mawson Lakes and Edinburgh. 

Ace Panel Systems is a specialist provider of refrigerated panel solutions and insulations. The company was founded in 1988 and is a local family-owned business located in the Port Adelaide Enfield council zone. Its staff expertise of many years dealing with off-standard structures enabled them to come up with a handmade solution to fit in with the structural and insulated requirements of this project. Ace Panel Systems supplies and installs insulated panel structures to FM Global, IPCA, CSIRO, Fire regulations and complies with all BCA building codes.

Image provided by https://defencesa.com

In 2009 Daronmont was invited by CASG to address the critical domain of high performance deployable C2 systems for the rapidly evolving Air Force Air Battle Management capability. Daronmont teamed with Zenith for the project. This was Zenith’s first exposure to Defence. 

Daronmont then leveraged this into contracts with Raytheon, Indra (two contracts), Kongsberg Defence Australia, DSTG (entering into a third contract), Army, Air Force, Australian Border Force and the AFP. 

In addition to shelter manufacture, air conditioning and power generation are essential sub-systems in a successful deployable shelter system.

Traditionally, these critical sub-systems have often been sourced from overseas suppliers, requiring significant modification to meet Australian requirements and contributing to downstream logistics support issues. 

Recognising the benefits of a local team that could support all of these capabilities, Daronmont sought out APC Technology and Cold Logic to join with Zenith to provide all the key technologies that integrate to create superior deployable shelter systems. 

Together, in various combinations, this team has delivered over 50 shelter systems to customers including CASG, DSTG, Australian Border Force and the AFP. 

The development of Daronmont’s latest iteration of deployable shelter systems offers increased AIC via the integration of new manufacturing techniques, generator/ UPS technologies and environmental conditioning systems from the team members. 

The integration of local teaming partners significantly reduces the risks inherent in overseas supply chains and overseas OEM specifications unsuited to Australian environmental conditions and technical requirements. 

In this case the teaming arrangements work naturally because the four companies are complementary and not competitive in any sense. 

Benefits of Teaming 

The development of the new shelter system with Daronmont Technologies as the teaming lead required the coordination of bespoke design in small unit numbers. 

This considered a whole range of items from physical envelope, through power consumption and environmental operating conditions that all have an impact on the design and execution of deployable shelter system projects. 

The use of bespoke subsystems as part of the platform ensured that the performance requirements were addressed in an optimised manner. It also ensured that the solutions presented to Defence Primes, CASG and the ADF were able to be locally supported, in contrast to alternative solutions that use a significant amount of overseas procured items with no system knowledge in country. 

It also ensured that items selected as part of the subsystems were suitable for the local requirements, rather than being designed for Europe or North America. Overall, this led to a reduction in risk for the end user, increase in operational capabilities and higher overall reliability. 

In the case of APC Technology, this teaming opportunity has resulted in the commercialisation of a market leading generator based on footprint, weight and performance. 

For Cold Logic, innovative, high performance and light weight environmental conditioning products have evolved from the teaming opportunity. 

Zenith has broadened its manufacturing and customer base to support all team members and is now exposed to many more opportunities to support its growth ambitions. New manufacturing processes and capabilities have been incorporated into its Mt Barker facility. 

All the team members have benefited from the opportunity to collaborate with like-minded Australian industry leaders to provide turnkey technologies for deployable systems that are Australian designed and manufactured. 

Most importantly, the team has demonstrated a successful commercial business model that can be expanded to include additional DTC members in future projects, further enhancing South Australia’s defence capabilities for further domestic and potential export opportunities. 

About the Winners

• Daronmont Technologies is an Australian Systems Integration SME that operates in the Defence C4IISREW sector, with expertise in EW, radar technologies and fixed and deployable shelter systems. 
• APC Technology is an innovative leader in design, manufacture and support of rugged computing solutions for global defence and industrial customers. 
• Cold Logic is a specialist supplier of bespoke refrigeration and controlled environment systems. Cold Logic is wholly Australian owned and proudly South Australian for over 35 years. 
• Zenith Custom Creations has been established since 2001, providing custom designed, fabrication solutions. Zenith is a diversified metal fabrication facility, specialising in transport engineering, Defence manufacturing and paint coating solutions.