ASC has proudly served as Australia’s submarine builder and sustainer for more than 35 years.
ASC built Australia’s Collins Class submarines and now sustains them, ensuring the fleet’s ongoing availability and capability for the Royal Australian Navy. The submarines are updated with the latest in advanced sonar systems, decoy methods and radars at specialised facilities in South Australia and Western Australia.
No other organisation in the nation provides this level of submarine sustainment expertise.
COMPLETE THROUGH-LIFE SUPPORT
Following delivery of the Collins Class submarine fleet in 2003, ASC was awarded the role of managing the submarines’ through-life support, including sustainment, maintenance and updates.
In 2020, ASC signed a new, eight-year In-service Support Contract with the Australian Government to continue to sustain the Collins Class fleet. This represented the most significant submarine sustainment contract in Australia’s history and was an outstanding endorsement of ASC’s highly skilled workforce.
Full-cycle maintenance
ASC delivers submarine deep maintenance, known as Full-Cycle Dockings (FCDs), at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia.
During an FCD, which takes two years to complete, the submarine is stripped, its hull cut open, and its enormous diesel engines and main motor removed. ASC’s expert engineers, welders, pipe fitters, electricians and mechanics work seamlessly to overhaul or refit the submarines’ onboard systems.
Any significant updates required also occur during FCDs, including combat system enhancements and modifications to enable the submarines to support Australian Army Special Forces operations.
Mid- and short-term maintenance
Mid- and short-term maintenance is delivered at ASC’s Henderson site, Western Australia.
This facility is located close to HMAS Stirling at Garden Island, the submarine fleet’s home base, so ASC can work closely with the Royal Australian Navy to provide timely operational support for the fleet when required.
Working closely with its Submarine Enterprise and supply chain partners, ASC ensures the Collins Class fleet meets the Navy’s stringent performance requirements, while optimising efficiencies to maximise customer value.
Construction
ASC delivered the Collins Class submarines to the Royal Australian Navy between 1996 and 2003. Constructed at Osborne in South Australia, they were considered at the time to be the most sophisticated conventional submarines in the world, and they continue to be internationally regarded among the world’s best.
CITies UNDER THE SEA
Collins Class submarines are incredibly complex machines. Akin to ‘cities under the sea’, each is a remarkable achievement in engineering design, providing all the human, mechanical and technological capacity and capability the Royal Australian Navy needs to conduct extended missions offshore.
