The Minister for Defence, John Moore, today officially welcomed the first two 'fast tracked' Collins Class submarines to their home base of HMAS Stirling in Western Australia.
NUSHIPs DECHAINEUX and SHEEAN have undergone an intensive upgrade program over the past 12 months at a cost of $266 million. These significantly improved submarines are an outcome of the McIntosh-Prescott Report, which last year identified numerous problems with the Collins project and its management.
"In response to the McIntosh-Prescott report, I appointed Rear Admiral Briggs to head a small team charged with implementing solutions that would finally get the Collins Class right," Mr Moore said. "Today, we can see how far the project has come and it is a very good result.
"The two upgraded submarines are quieter, more reliable and less vulnerable to detection. The combat system has been augmented in a cooperative effort with the US Navy. Manipulation of target data and sonar detection has been markedly improved. In short, these are the first of the Collins submarines that Navy can confidently put in harm's way.
"The successful 'fast tracking' of DECHAINEUX and SHEEAN is a significant milestone and justifies the Federal Government's commitment to get behind the troubled Collins project and fix it."
Mr Moore said that while the road map to recovery has been set, there remains some distance to go.
"A new combat system is required and the Defence Department is finalising recommendations to Government on acquisition of the replacement system. On going refinement of other systems will continue for several years.
"The recently released Defence White Paper confirmed the Federal Government's determination to rectify all problems in all six Collins subs. While the Government will not be completely satisfied until the submarines are fully capable and operational, we can, for the first time in the project's history, say with confidence that all these goals are achievable.
"When work is completed, Australia will have a squadron of world class submarines which will deliver an extremely effective and potent strategic defence capability over the next 25 years," Mr Moore said.
The Minister today acknowledge the team effort behind the 'fast track' program, specifically the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO), the US Navy, the Defence project team, Australian industry, and, the Australian Submarine Corporation (ASC) and its highly specialised workforce who have implemented the fixes on-time and on-budget.
"I would particularly like to thank Rear Admiral Peter Briggs whose leadership and commitment have been a driving force behind today's achievements. Under his stewardship, the Collins Class submarine project is back on-track and the project's future is immeasurably brighter than it was two years ago. Peter's contribution has been enormous," Mr Moore said.
"While there has been significant work done on fixing the submarines, Defence also has focused on the people side of the project.
"Submariners do a difficult job at the best of times, and without doubt, the long-running problems encountered with the Collins project has added another level of complexity to their task. Certainly, those problems have, in the past, had a negative impact on recruitment levels.
"The advances made since the McIntosh-Prescott report, combined with today's arrival of DECHAINEUX and SHEEAN, have provided a real boost to confidence in the overall Collins project. I'm pleased to say that already, the number of Collins-trained submariners has increased and I'm confident that the upgraded submarines are going to provide an additional, enhanced training capability to Navy.
"On behalf of the Government, I would like to commend our submariners who have stuck with the project. They have displayed great professionalism and commitment to making the 'fix' program work."
HMAS COLLINS and HMAS RANKIN are next in line for the 'fast track' upgrading.
Five of the six Collins Class are capable of being deployed on operations at varying levels of capability and complexity. Navy is now in a position to decommission the last of the old Oberon Class subs, HMAS OTAMA. This will take place tomorrow.
The objectives of the 'fast track' program are to deliver increased operational capability quickly and in a cost-effective manner. Immediate measures undertaken have been directed at providing improved self-protection, improved mechanical reliability and high speed communications.
The increased operational capability of 'fast track' submarines includes:
**Improvements to the sonar, and tactical data handling systems and weapons control;
**Reduction of noise signature with a program of ongoing improvement;
**Upgrades to the existing combat system;
**Platform improvements including hull, fin and casing modifications; and
**Improvements to propeller, periscope, mast and communications systems.
