BAE Systems secures periscope support deal for Collins-class subs

BAE Systems Australia has secured a three-year contract extension with the Commonwealth of Australia to provide in-service periscope support for the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) six Collins-class submarines.

The $45 million contract extension will see the continuation of maintenance and logistics services, engineering and supply support and program management of 16 periscope systems. The work will be performed at BAE Systems’ Mawson Lakes facility in South Australia and HMAS Stirling in Western Australia. 

Each Collins-class submarine has an attack and search periscope and these are extensively overhauled every seven years to ensure their materiel readiness and continuing structural integrity. 

Under its contract, BAE Systems has developed a local and global supply chain network, delivering support to the RAN’s submarine force.

The company has manufactured, sustained and upgraded the periscope systems for the Collins fleet for the life of their service to the RAN. During the build phase, the firm used the local manufacture of optics, electronics, cables and mechanical parts, in collaboration with an initial supply chain.

To remind, the Collins-class submarines will also receive a new “cutting-edge optronics system”. The $381 million investment into optronics will essentially replace an aged technology on the submarines.