Nuclear subs 'out of Aussie reach' says US Ambassador

Australia is a long way off being capable of running nuclear submarines, US Ambassador Jeffrey Bleich says. 

Some coalition frontbenchers are reported to have spoken to US officials about replacing the navy's diesel fleet with nuclear-powered submarines.

The coalition members apparently keen on the strategy are not named in the reports by Fairfax Media.

Mr Bleich says the idea surfaces every now and again, but it's not on the table in the immediate future.

"It's an idea to speculate about, but it's so far away from being a serious policy consideration,",

"Politically, there hasn't been a real momentum for development of a nuclear energy program at all, let alone nuclear submarines, in Australia."

Australia has in the past found it difficult to fins submarines that meet the needs of its navy. The range at which its submarines must operate make most traditional diesel-powered submarines unsuitable as they are generally built for the confined waters of Europe.

This is why Australia designed and built its own submarines, the Collins Class, in the 1990s.

Without necessary nuclear expertise and infrastructure in place, it would be difficult to maintain a defence program involving nuclear subs, the Ambassador said.

It was up to Australia, not the United States, to start any conversation about looking into alternative nuclear technologies.

But he said if Australia were to express interest in developing a nuclear program, the US would be open to dialogue.

US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be in Perth this week for the annual Australia-US Ministerial (AUSMIN) talks.

Maintenance Contract Marks New Era for Australia’s Collins Class Submarines

HMAS Dechaineux and HMAS Waller during an exercise.

Australia’s national submarine builder and maintainer of the six Collins Class submarines - ASC Pty Ltd - is pleased to have signed a new contract with the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) for the maintenance of the Collins Class submarines going forward.

The new In Service Support Contract (ISSC) was announced today by Minister for Defence, Stephen Smith, Minister for Finance and Deregulation, Penny Wong, and Minister for Defence Materiel, Jason Clare, with the contract signed at ASC’s submarine facility in Osborne, South Australia.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Steve Ludlam, said that this would mark a new era for the maintenance of the Collins Class submarines.

“The ISSC aims to support greater collaboration, cooperation and accountability to ensure that the requirements of our customer, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), are met while delivering value for money,” said Mr Ludlam.

“In particular, ensuring the required level of submarine availability and reliability for the RAN will be a key outcome, while ensuring safety and technical integrity requirements continue to be met.”

Mr Ludlam said that significant achievements and efficiencies had been achieved in the Collins Class submarine maintenance program to date.

“This experience and the lessons learned have provided valuable input in creating the new ISSC to ensure performance and efficiency continues to gain pace,” he said.

The contract encourages greater collaboration between parties within a commercial framework whereby both risks and rewards in relation to seeking efficiencies are shared.

The new ISSC contract replaces the previous Through Life Support Agreement (TLSA). The contract will be operationally effective from 1 July 2012.

Thales Wins Australian Submarine Simulator Upgrade Contract

Australian Navy Collins-class submarine.

Thales Australia has signed a contract with the Defence Materiel Organisation to upgrade the Collins Submarine Platform Training Simulator (PTS).

Located at the Submarine Training and Systems Centre (STSC) at HMAS Stirling, Western Australia, the PTS has been in service since 1993. Comprised of a Propulsion Control Simulator (PCS) and a Submarine Control Simulator (SCS), the PTS plays a central role in delivering individual and collective training across a number of critical submarine systems, including the propulsion, manoeuvring, power conversion and distribution, and auxiliary systems.

By adopting the latest Thales simulator technology, the upgrade will incorporate improvements to the PTS to address obsolescence and fidelity issues, bringing it up to date with the current configurations of the actual submarines.

Beyond the simulator, Thales is a major supplier to the Collins program. The company provides and supports the sonar suite, towed array, periscope visual system, communications mast and other key sensor support. Additionally, the company will also be upgrading the periscope visual system under a recently-signed contract. Since the program’s inception, Thales has accumulated extensive experience in supporting the unique requirements of Australia’s submarine program, and has a detailed understanding of potential enhancements in this area.

Thales Australia CEO Chris Jenkins said: “This contract is a prime example of how we work closely with the customer to deliver low-risk, cost-effective upgrade solutions that will enable the Navy to continue to train their Collins crews for many years.”

“As the original supplier of the Collins PTS, Thales is able to carry out the upgrade with minimal technical risk, leveraging our international experience from similar submarine upgrade programs in the UK.”

Lieutenant Commander Andrei Ezergailis, the Royal Australian Navy’s STSC Engineering Training Manager, said: "The PTS provides a significant volume of vital individual and collective training for trainees and submarine crews. This upgrade will allow the PTS to continue to support Collins training through to the platform's expected life of type."