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The Australian Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) has awarded a new in service support contract (ISSC) to ASC to provide maintenance for the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) Collins-class submarine fleet.
ASC managing director and chief executive officer Steve Ludlam said that the ISSC aimed to support greater collaboration, cooperation and accountability to ensure that the requirements of RAN were met, while delivering value for money.
"Ensuring the required level of submarine availability and reliability for the RAN will be a key outcome, while ensuring safety and technical integrity requirements continue to be met," Ludlam added.
The ISSC contract, which will replace the previous through life support agreement (TLSA), came into operational effect from 1 July.
The Collins-class Type 471 diesel-electric submarines have been designed to carry up to 22 missiles and torpedoes, as well as six 533mm forward torpedo tubes with air turbine pump discharge.
Designed by Kockums, the submarines can be armed with Gould mk48 mod 4 torpedo with 267kg warhead, as well as BAE Systems’ Stonefish mkIII mines.
In addition to Boeing Sub Harpoon anti-ship missile, the submarines are equipped with active radar homing and features an EDO ES-5600 system, to provide automatic detection, direction finding and identification of radar signals.
Powered by three Hedemora/Garden Island Type V18B/14 four-stroke turbo charged diesel engines, the submarines also feature two Strachan and Henshaw submerged signal and decoy ejectors (SSDE).
Image: The Australian navy’s Collins-class submarine, HMAS Waller (SSG 75) at Pearl Harbor for a scheduled port call. Photo: US Navy photo by mass communication specialist 1st class Michael R McCormick.
