Australian shipbuilding company ASC has partnered with Babcock Australasia to deliver in-service support for six of the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) Collins-class submarines.

The new goods and services agreement will see Babcock work in collaboration with ASC to provide the RAN with a suitable sustainment programme.

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A variety of maintenance, upgrade, supply and engineering and management services will be offered by Babcock’s marine business unit in Osborne, South Australia, as part of the deal, with additional input from the ASC and Babcock facilities in Henderson, Western Australia.

The agreement came into effect on 14 September this year and will continue for a period of three years, with the potential to be extended for additional two years.

Babcock Australasia chief executive officer David Ruff said: “We bring together engineering, design, systems integration and platform management capabilities to ensure the Collins-class submarines are operationally available to navy.

“We bring together engineering, design, systems integration and platform management capabilities to ensure the Collins-class submarines are operationally available to navy.”

“Babcock is trusted to deliver critical in-service support, deep maintenance and infrastructure support for submarines across Australia and around the world, and we have invested in local infrastructure and intellectual capital to develop significant capability to support Australia’s current and future submarines.”

ASC interim chief executive officer Stuart Whiley noted that the current deal has replaced the previous transitional services agreement and bolstered the partnership between the two companies.

Whiley added: “We are also pleased that this announcement provides ongoing employment opportunity to about 40 Babcock employees, who will continue to support the Collins-class now and into the future.”

The Collins class currently comprises the vessels HMAS Collins, HMAS Farncomb, HMAS Waller, HMAS Dechaineux, HMAS Sheean and HMAS Rankin.

Italy-based company Leonardo also secured a contract from the Australian Department of Defence to provide SmartIDMS information management software for the six Collins-class submarines last week.