Hangar door milestone sees defence megastructure ahead of schedule

Four giant bespoke hangar doors, each spanning 48 metres and covering a space wide enough for a Boeing 737 to pass through, have been installed at the Deep Maintenance and Modification Facility (DMMF) next to RAAF Base Edinburgh in South Australia. This achievement marks significant progress on a project being delivered by Renewal SA in partnership with BESIX Watpac – and even more so because the project is ahead of schedule.

Each doorway leads to an individual aircraft hangar. The doors are made of six individual panels assembled to create a stacking structure. Each panel is eight metres wide and 14.5 metres tall, weighing four tonnes. Designed and manufactured by specialist aircraft support engineers SAM Technology in Smithfield, New South Wales, the doors were transported more than 1,300 kilometres to the site and assembled over a four-week period.

Mark Baker, BESIX Watpac Chief Executive Officer, said the project is a prime example of industry and government working together.

“In partnership with Renewal SA, the BESIX Watpac team continues to make strong progress on building the Deep Maintenance and Modification Facility, and we’re pleased to have completed the installation of these large bespoke hangar doors – a complex phase delivered through exceptional planning and a united team effort.”

“As part of our commitment to building capability within the region, we worked closely with our supplier to engage local subcontractors for installation and cladding works.”

“With productivity front of mind, we’ve leveraged collaboration and the strategic use of digital construction methods to deliver a mission-critical asset that will enhance Australia’s sovereign capabilities. Through this approach, we are delivering ahead of schedule and expect to maintain this momentum through to completion.”

Tim Tape, Renewal SA’s Development Director of Industrial and Defence Projects said progress is exceeding expectations.

“We’re actually ahead of schedule, which for a building of this scale is really quite remarkable,” Mr Tape said.

“We are now staring down the barrel of a major defence project signed, sealed and delivered in the space of five years.”

The DMMF is targeting construction completion in mid-2026, when Renewal SA will lease the facility to the Commonwealth Department of Defence for 30 years, with options for two 10-year extensions.

Learn more about the project here.