Mr Rod Eqid speaks about the Air Warfare Destroyer Project and Alliance during the Keel Laying Ceremony held at the South Australian Government’s User Facility (CUF) in Osborne, Adelaide.

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Minister for Defence Stephen Smith and Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare announced the start of the consolidation phase of the $8 billion Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) project which begun with the laying of the first keel in Adelaide on September 6, 2012.

The keel laying for the first destroyer Hobart is a significant milestone in the AWD project as it marks the start of the next phase in the delivery of three world-class warships to the Royal Australian Navy.

Keel laying is an important shipyard and naval tradition which involves securing a newly-minted coin under the keel of the ship and constructing over the coin to bring good luck through the build phase and the life of the ship.