Rolls-Royce wins Australian submarine care package

Rolls-Royce has been selected by the Royal Australian Navy to provide systems and service expertise for its Collins class of submarines.

Tuesday, 8 May 2001

The £1.5 million contract is for three years, with an option for a further two, and covers the complete vessel - including the hull, propulsion, electrical generation, weapons and auxiliary systems.

Rolls-Royce will develop and implement processes for the review, validation and reduction of maintenance. It will also assist the RAN in other key activities, including project and risk management and configuration control. These measures will significantly increase operational availability and reduce through life cost.

The company has a proven record in submarine maintenance services, providing a similar service in the United Kingdom for the Vanguard class fleet.

Saul Lanyado, President - Marine, for Rolls-Royce, said: "This is a highly-significant contract, underlining the value of our knowledge of submarine processes - both engineering and project management. Customers increasingly require this type of consultancy service, which take a partnership approach."

The diesel-powered Collins class, with a displacement of 3,000 tonnes, is one of the largest types of conventional submarine in the world.

Work on the fleet of six vessels will be carried out by the Australian Submarine Corporation at its site in Adelaide, South Australia, and at the fleet base at Garden Island, Western Australia.