Australia on Wednesday announced the start of a life extension program for the Collins-class submarine that curtails previously planned upgrades while it awaits U.S. and domestically-made nuclear-powered attack submarines in the next decades.
Australia aims to ultimately replace its six Collins-class submarines with nuclear-powered SSN-AUKUS design vessels as a result of the trilateral AUKUS agreement with the U.S. and U.K.
The first SSN-AUKUS, largely built domestically, is planned to be delivered in the early 2040s, but the U.S. will sell three to five American-made Virginia-class attack submarines in the 2030s.
However, before any of the nuclear-powered attack submarines will arrive, Australia has long-acknowledged it needs to extend the life of its current boats first.
This week the Australian government announced the plan will start with the HMAS Farncomb undergoing a sustainment and capability enhancement with the life extension program in 2026, undertaken by the boat builder ASC at Osborne Naval Shipyard South Australia.
The defense ministry said this life extension program is part of the Albanese government’s plan to invest $2.7billion to $3.3 billion to ensure the Collins-class submarines continue to be provided a “potent strike and deterrence capability.”
In 2022, before the AUKUS submarine plans were finalized, Australia Defense Minister Richard Marles said that extending the life of the Collins-class would “inevitably be a part of this. That’s the one thing we really do know. And so there is already a commitment to extend the life of Collins.”
The current life extension program cuts some previously planned upgrades to the Collins-class submarines, particularly canceling an optronics upgrade “following advice that it would have added complexity and risk to the life-of-type extension program.”
That upgrade was also canceled for the SSN-AUKUS design.
In submarines, optronics refers to visual sensor technologies that replace a periscope.
The Albanese government also canceled plans to add Tomahawk cruise missiles to the Collins-class submarines because it is “not viable and does not represent value for money.”
The ministry said this decision was made in consultation with the U.S.
The government noted the Virginia-class submarines will still be fitted with Tomahawks, Hobart-class destroyers will use them and it “agreed in-principle to fit the Hunter-class frigates with Tomahawks, subject to a feasibility study.”
The ministry argued the optronics and Tomahawk changes will reduce the risk to the submarine class and maximize availability as Australia transitions to the nuclear-powered boats in the 2030s and 2040s.
The defense ministry did not disclose the schedule for when the other Collins-class boats will undergo this life extension work.
Exchange Monitor affiliate publication Defense Daily originally ran this story.
