Australia is set to begin a life-of-type extension (LOTE) programme for the Royal Australian Navy’s six Collins-class diesel-electric submarines. The aim is to keep the fleet of boats in service for another decade, pending the arrival of nuclear-powered submarines under AUKUS.
The LOTE programme, estimated to cost around A$11 billion (US$7.8 billion), will be carried out at ASC North in South Australia.
Work is scheduled to commence at the end of May with HMAS Farncomb, the boat with the highest number of sea days and distance travelled within the fleet. As the lead submarine undergoing the upgrade, Farncomb will enter a detailed engineering assessment phase first, one intended to refine the scope of modifications and to inform work across the rest of the class.
At the same time, sustainment work on the youngest boat, HMAS Rankin, will be accelerated and prioritised to maintain fleet availability.
The six Collins-class submarines entered service between 1996 and 2003, and they have already undergone substantial combat system, weapons and sensor upgrades over the past two decades.
Speaking in a radio interview, Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy described the LOTE approach as a “lower-risk” modernisation pathway. Rather than replacing major propulsion components such as diesel motors and generators, the government has opted to refurbish existing systems and to avoid extensive structural modifications involving cutting open the submarines.
Under the previous government’s now-abandoned French submarine programme, the plan had been to introduce technologies into the Collins class that would later transition into the future fleet.
“This is about a more realistic low-risk approach that keeps these submarines in the water for another ten years. They’re very capable submarines, but this is a way of doing it that’s pragmatic and will be more effective,” Conroy said.
Conroy also stated the US Navy remains on schedule to transfer the first Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines to Australia in the early 2030s.
Separately, Canberra selected Lockheed Martin as the combat system integrator for Australia’s future Virginia-class fleet. The government said the arrangement would provide a sovereign capability fully interoperable with US Navy systems, enabling seamless support for visiting submarines, as well as future Australian-operated boats.
by Chen Chuanren
