Collins class submarine replacement project
Encyclopedia
The Collins class submarine replacement project is a Royal Australian Navy
(RAN) effort to replace the Navy's six Collins class
submarine
s with 12 new Australian designed submarines from 2025. At an estimated cost of up to A$
25 billion, the project may be the most expensive defence acquisition ever undertaken by the Australian Government.
In December 2007, the then Australian Minister for Defence
, Joel Fitzgibbon
, authorized the RAN to begin planning the project. A project office was established in October 2008 and the project was designated SEA 1000. In the 2009 Defence White Paper
the Australian government confirmed its intention to double Australia's submarine force to 12 boats to keep pace with the increased number of submarines in Australia's region.
The Australian Government and Australian Defence Force
(ADF) believe that the Royal Australian Navy's submarine service
forms a vital component of the ADF and thus will double in size as countries in Australia's region expand or establish their own submarine forces. The role of the new submarines will be to collect intelligence, attack ships, submarines and land targets with missiles and torpedoes and land special forces teams. The submarines' capabilities will also act as a deterrent against military attacks on Australia.
Due to the project's complexity it is expected that it will take 17 years to design the submarines, gain government approval for the project and complete the first boat in the class. The timeline for the project calls for research into the submarines begin in late 2007 or early 2008 and be completed by 2011 when the Federal Cabinet
will give initial approval to the design. After the design is developed further it is planned that Cabinet will give final approval for the project in 2014 or 2015 after which contracts for the submarines will be signed and construction will begin. The sea trial
s for the first new submarine have been tentatively scheduled for 2024 so that the boat is ready to replace the first Collins class submarine which is scheduled to be decommissioned in 2025. The project office which will oversee the development of the new submarine's design was established in October 2008 and is jointly administered by the Defence Materiel Organisation
and the Department of Defence's
Capability Development Group.
The new class of submarines is expected to be a unique Australian design rather than a variant of an existing foreign design. While the Navy's study will consider all submarine options, including the acquisition of nuclear powered
submarines, it is expected that the final design will be a larger, quieter, faster and better armed version of the Collins class. While the Government initially promised that the submarines would be built by ASC
(formerly the Australian Submarine Corporation) in Adelaide, South Australia, in May 2009 it announced that ASC may have to bid against other companies though the submarines would still be built at Adelaide regardless of which company wins the tender. ASC built all of the Collins class boats and operates the only submarine construction facility in Australia. Building the boats in Australia may increase their cost, however.
Nuclear propulsion is likely to be ruled out because of cost and the lack of nuclear-power infrastructure. It is expected that the submarines will have an air-independent propulsion
system that will allow them to remain underwater much longer than the Collins-class boats. The submarines will also have state-of-the-art batteries and sophisticated communications.
The new submarines are expected to be better armed than the Collins class, armed with long-range cruise missile
s, which are not currently carried by the Collins class, as well as shorter ranged missiles and torpedoes. The new submarines may also carry midget submarine
s which will be used to collect intelligence or land special forces troops.
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
(RAN) effort to replace the Navy's six Collins class
Collins class submarine
The Collins class is a class of six Australian-built diesel-electric submarines operated by the Royal Australian Navy . The Collins class takes its name from Australian Vice Admiral John Augustine Collins; all six submarines are named after significant RAN personnel who distinguished themselves in...
submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s with 12 new Australian designed submarines from 2025. At an estimated cost of up to A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
25 billion, the project may be the most expensive defence acquisition ever undertaken by the Australian Government.
In December 2007, the then Australian Minister for Defence
Minister for Defence (Australia)
The Minister for Defence of Australia administers his portfolio through the Australian Defence Organisation, which comprises the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force. Stephen Smith is the current Minister.-Ministers for Defence:...
, Joel Fitzgibbon
Joel Fitzgibbon
Joel Andrew Fitzgibbon is an Australian politician and Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1996, representing the Division of Hunter in New South Wales. From December 2007 to June 2009 he was the Minister for Defence in the Rudd Ministry...
, authorized the RAN to begin planning the project. A project office was established in October 2008 and the project was designated SEA 1000. In the 2009 Defence White Paper
Defending Australia in the Asia Pacific Century: Force 2030
Defending Australia in the Asia Pacific Century: Force 2030 is an Australian Government white paper released on 2 May 2009. The publication seeks to provide guidance for Australia's defence policy and the Australian Defence Force during the period 2009–2030.-Background:In 2000, the then Coalition...
the Australian government confirmed its intention to double Australia's submarine force to 12 boats to keep pace with the increased number of submarines in Australia's region.
Development
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
(ADF) believe that the Royal Australian Navy's submarine service
Royal Australian Navy Submarine Service
The Royal Australian Navy Submarine Service is the collective name of the submarine element of the Royal Australian Navy. The service currently forms the Navy's Submarine Force Element Group and consists of six Collins class submarines....
forms a vital component of the ADF and thus will double in size as countries in Australia's region expand or establish their own submarine forces. The role of the new submarines will be to collect intelligence, attack ships, submarines and land targets with missiles and torpedoes and land special forces teams. The submarines' capabilities will also act as a deterrent against military attacks on Australia.
Due to the project's complexity it is expected that it will take 17 years to design the submarines, gain government approval for the project and complete the first boat in the class. The timeline for the project calls for research into the submarines begin in late 2007 or early 2008 and be completed by 2011 when the Federal Cabinet
Cabinet of Australia
The Cabinet of Australia is the council of senior ministers of the Crown, responsible to parliament. The Cabinet is appointed by the Governor-General, on the advice of the Prime Minister the Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, and serves at the former's pleasure. The strictly private...
will give initial approval to the design. After the design is developed further it is planned that Cabinet will give final approval for the project in 2014 or 2015 after which contracts for the submarines will be signed and construction will begin. The sea trial
Sea trial
A sea trial is the testing phase of a watercraft . It is also referred to as a "shakedown cruise" by many naval personnel. It is usually the last phase of construction and takes place on open water, and can last from a few hours to many days.Sea trials are conducted to measure a vessel’s...
s for the first new submarine have been tentatively scheduled for 2024 so that the boat is ready to replace the first Collins class submarine which is scheduled to be decommissioned in 2025. The project office which will oversee the development of the new submarine's design was established in October 2008 and is jointly administered by the Defence Materiel Organisation
Defence Materiel Organisation
The Defence Materiel Organisation is the Australian Government agency responsible for the acquisition, through-life support and disposal of equipment for the Australian Defence Force...
and the Department of Defence's
Department of Defence (Australia)
The Australian Department of Defence is a Federal Government Department. It forms part of the Australian Defence Organisation along with the Australian Defence Force . The Defence mission is to defend Australia and its national interests...
Capability Development Group.
The new class of submarines is expected to be a unique Australian design rather than a variant of an existing foreign design. While the Navy's study will consider all submarine options, including the acquisition of nuclear powered
Nuclear marine propulsion
Nuclear marine propulsion is propulsion of a ship by a nuclear reactor. Naval nuclear propulsion is propulsion that specifically refers to naval warships...
submarines, it is expected that the final design will be a larger, quieter, faster and better armed version of the Collins class. While the Government initially promised that the submarines would be built by ASC
Australian Submarine Corporation
The ASC, formerly Australian Submarine Corporation, is a wholly government-owned Australian naval defence company headquartered at Osborne in Adelaide, South Australia.-History:...
(formerly the Australian Submarine Corporation) in Adelaide, South Australia, in May 2009 it announced that ASC may have to bid against other companies though the submarines would still be built at Adelaide regardless of which company wins the tender. ASC built all of the Collins class boats and operates the only submarine construction facility in Australia. Building the boats in Australia may increase their cost, however.
Proposed design features
While the submarines' design will not be finalised until after 2011, a range of features have been suggested.Nuclear propulsion is likely to be ruled out because of cost and the lack of nuclear-power infrastructure. It is expected that the submarines will have an air-independent propulsion
Air-independent propulsion
Air-independent propulsion is a term that encompasses technologies which allow a submarine to operate without the need to surface or use a snorkel to access atmospheric oxygen. The term usually excludes the use of nuclear power, and describes augmenting or replacing the diesel-electric propulsion...
system that will allow them to remain underwater much longer than the Collins-class boats. The submarines will also have state-of-the-art batteries and sophisticated communications.
The new submarines are expected to be better armed than the Collins class, armed with long-range cruise missile
Cruise missile
A cruise missile is a guided missile that carries an explosive payload and is propelled, usually by a jet engine, towards a land-based or sea-based target. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead over long distances with high accuracy...
s, which are not currently carried by the Collins class, as well as shorter ranged missiles and torpedoes. The new submarines may also carry midget submarine
Midget submarine
A midget submarine is any submarine under 150 tons, typically operated by a crew of one or two but sometimes up to 6 or 8, with little or no on-board living accommodation...
s which will be used to collect intelligence or land special forces troops.