Australia’s sovereign submarine company, ASC, has signed new agreements with two global technology companies, which will see the company extend its submarine engineering and maintenance services.
The first, a contract between ASC and Saab Asutralia, will see the two companies launch a pilot program that sees ASC’s submarine designers delivering specialist design services in Adelaide for Saab’s A26 submarine program.
The contract makes provision for ASC to provide a range of services, including engineering services for the A26 submarine program, two of which are being built for the Royal Swedish Navy.
ASC CEO Stuart Whiley said the program would have a positive impact on ASC’s submarine workforce, provide additional opportunities and professional rewards for ASC’s engineers and designers, along with ASC’s core responsibility of the platform sustainment of the Collins Class fleet.
“This work will strengthen ASC’s capability to deliver submarine engineering and design services in coming years to be able to support Australia’s growing submarine sector,” he said.
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Long term collaboration with Jeumont Electric of France
The second agreement announced by ASC is a long-term collaboration with French submarine motor manufacturer, Jeumont Electric.
Jeumont Electric is the supplier of the main motors for the Collins Class fleet – for which ASC is under a 25-year ongoing sustainment contract with the Australian government. Jeumont Electric is also the preferred supplier of new generation permanent magnet motors for the Australian Future Submarine Program.
Under the agreement, Jeumont Electric and ASC will collaborate on the delivery of services supporting the ongoing sustainment and upgrade of the Collins Class as well as in preparation to support the design, build and test of the main motors for the Future Submarine program.
The agreements follow recent collaboration agreements with French-based submarine subcontractors Groupe FIVA and Endel Engie to establish Australian-based joint operations in support of the Future Submarine program.
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ASC CEO Stuart Whiley said the two companies will work jointly in Australia and in France to help meet the future demands of both the Collins Class and Future Submarine programs.
“ASC is the home of Australia’s existing submarine expertise, employing about 1,200 skilled personnel with a huge amount of experience in submarines in the Australian context. This collaboration with Jeumont will help to meet the future demands of both the Collins Class and Future Submarine programs,” Whiley said.
He noted that ASC’s workforce was well-placed to support a number of submarine programs in coming years.
“Our agreement with Jeumont comes after the recent signature of collaboration agreements with Naval Group suppliers Endel Engie and Groupe FIVA.
“ASC has the finest submarine platform workforce ever assembled in this country. Our expanded offering will provide our workforce with a rich range of opportunities and professional rewards in coming years, along with our core responsibility of platform sustainment of Australia’s potent Collins Class fleet,” Whiley said.