Raytheon Australia has won a A$270 million (£135 million) contract to sustain the combat system of the Royal Australian Navy’s Collins-class submarines.
Under the terms of the newly-struck agreement, Raytheon Australia Pty Ltd will provide ongoing in-service support for the submarines’ combat system over the next three years and nine months.
The RAN’s six Collins-class subs were commissioned into service between July 1996 and March 2003; the lead boat HMAS Collins is scheduled to be retired in the early 2030s.
The diesel-electric boats are scheduled to be replaced by a nuclear-powered submarine fleet bought from and made in partnership with the U.K. and the U.S. under the AUKUS agreement.
As per a Defence Australia press statement: “This contract extension demonstrates Defence’s commitment to investing in Australian industry and workers to maintain a sovereign naval shipbuilding and sustainment capability.
“The Government continues to invest in priority capability enhancements and sustainment for the Collins class to ensure it remains a potent and credible capability to conduct operations to safeguard Australia’s maritime approaches and sea lines of communication.”
David Hanley, Deputy Secretary of the Naval Shipbuilding and Sustainment Group, commented: “The extension of this contract with Raytheon Australia demonstrates Defence’s commitment to Australia’s national naval shipbuilding and sustainment enterprise by providing over 150 skilled Australian workers with continuing roles sustaining a critical defence capability.”
- You can read more details on the Defence Australia website