Page 91 - Australian Defence Magazine Dec 2018 - Jan 2019

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est levels of warfighting capability. The Sub- marine Institute of Australia conference in November (see P20) looked at quite a com- prehensive program of technologies that spoke more towards a true mid life upgrade than a ‘simple’ LOTE approach.
As part of a $232 million contract an- nounced by Thales Australia in June, all six submarines are to have their legacy cylindri- cal sonar array replaced by a new modular cylindrical array (MCA) system. This is based on the Sonar 2076 integrated sonar suite deployed on the UK Royal Navy’s As- tute and Trafalgar class submarines.
Under the same contract the company will also replace the Collins class’ existing flank arrays with “the latest generation” flank array system developed by Thales teams in France. The upgrades have already begun with HMAS Waller, which is now undertaking a full cycle docking at ASC’s facilities in Osborne.
Obsolescence management is currently focused on replacing the processor cards and boards in the Collins’ Saab-developed Integrated Ship Control Management and Monitoring System (ISCMMS), which provides manoeuvring and fully integrated ship management of propulsion, trim, pow- er generation and ship services.
HMAS Collins has completed the ISC- MMS upgrade, and Waller’s was scheduled to be completed before the end of 2018.
Meanwhile protracted negotiations were continuing in late 2018 between Defence and Naval Group on a vital Strategic Part- nering Agreement (SPA) that is intended to set out terms and conditions that will endure over the course of the Sea 1000 pro- gram. As seen in the From the Source inter- view this month with Minister for Defence Christopher Pyne (see P106), the SPA was completed before Christmas.
Negotiations began in early 2017 but struck difficulties over the length of warranty periods to cover potential defects, together with the implications on high-level coopera- tion and technology transfer should there be any change in the ownership of Naval Group, 62.5 per cent of whose equity is held by the French government and 35 per cent by Thales.
Design work nevertheless proceeded throughout 2018, and ground works were scheduled to begin in December on the Future Submarine construction yard at
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