BAE Systems Australia said it has been given a A$30 million contract extension for ongoing sustainment of the Collins Class periscopes. The original five-year contract began in 2015 and encompasses engineering, program management, supply support and highly specialised maintenance services. During this two year extension period, BAE Systems will continue to maintain Search and Attack periscopes and undertake the necessary updates to the periscope systems. BAE Systems has been maintaining and updating the Collins Class submarine periscopes for more than three decades, developing an important sovereign capability. The company began supporting the Collins Class submarines periscopes in 1988 at the start of the periscope build programme.
The company has continued to develop this sovereign capability through the provision of maintenance, repair and update services in two states. Periscope work is undertaken by 34 specialist employees working in purpose built facilities at Mawson Lakes South Australia and at HMAS Stirling Naval Base, in Western Australia. The largest update project undertaken during this time was the transition from analogue to digital periscopes which are now also transitioning into service.
BAE Systems Australia Managing Director Defence Delivery Andrew Gresham said “now, more than ever, Defence programmes will have an important role in Australia’s post-COVID economic recovery. We began supporting the Collins-class submarine periscope systems with an 11-year manufacturing and build program for attack and search periscope systems. Some three decades later, we continue to build and grow our experience in maintaining and updating this critical piece of defence equipment. During this time we have also supported the development of new capabilities in our local supply chain. Defence projects are high value, create and sustain new industrial capabilities, require leading edge technologies and can run over decades which is why they are so important to our nation’s economy.”
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