Stage 2 of H-ACE handed over
Hanwha Defence Australia (HDA) has successfully accepted and begun fit out of Stage 2 facilities of the Hanwha Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence (H-ACE), now that works have been completed by construction partner Kapitol and the support of managing contractor Conscia.
Over the past 12 months, the 32,000 sqm site has expanded to account for the 129-strongRedback Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) fleet for the Australian Army under LAND 400 Phase 3. To date, the facility has been producing the Huntsman Family of Vehicles under LAND 8116.
“Stage 2will allow us to build upon the capability and capacity from Stage 1 opened in2024, so that we have the ability to run parallel production lines for both the Huntsman and Redback vehicles,” Hanwha Defence Australia and UK/Europe CEO Mr Ben Hudson said.
“Hanwha have now invested almost $AUD225 million in the site, making it a strategic asset not just for Australia and South Korea but for the wider region when it comes to both production and future Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul and Upgrade (MROU)work, alongside future opportunities.”
“DeliveringStage 2 ahead of schedule by a month on a live Defence manufacturing siterequired absolute discipline in planning, sequencing and decision-making,” Andrew Deveson, Co-Founder and Director at Kapitol said.
“By challenging standard delivery methods and working closely with Hanwha Defence Australia and Conscia, we were able to maintain momentum through complexity and provide the certainty needed to move straight into fit-out and parallel production.”
Stage 2 facilities include:
• A second production hall
• EMI/EMC chamber, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere
• Heavy washdown facility
• Finished product store
Key features of the site, such as the second production hall, have been delivered over one and half months ahead of schedule, furthering HDA’s record of excellence that saw Stage 1 facilities delivered over two and half months ahead of schedule.
The completed facility now boasts room for over 250 office workers alongside production staff across two production halls, a 1.2km test track including incline and deep-water test facilities, workshops, systems integration lab, and paint shop.
"Working with the Hanwha team throughout the entire H-ACE journey has been professionally and personally rewarding,” Mr Brendan Bilston, Conscia CEO said. “It’s been a collaborative, open and enjoyable partnership from day one, and we’ve valued the trust they’ve placed in us throughout the journey.
“Witnessing these new facilities come to life alongside such committed and passionate people has been incredibly fulfilling for our team over the past five years.”
Breaking ground in April 2022 on what was then a sheep paddock in the Avalon Airport Precinct, the H-ACE construction program has seen over 2,500 people employed directly and indirectly by Built. and Kapitol, with over 25 per cent of on-site workers from the Geelong region.
HDA placed an emphasis with their construction partners on working with local Geelong region companies and ESG targets on the program, which both partners met or exceeded.
The $170 million Stage 1 of the H-ACE was named winner of the Excellence in Construction of Industrial Building category at the 2025 Master Builders Victoria Awards, following their earlier success as Regional Team of the Year at the 2025Property Council Victoria People in Property Awards.
