Page 10 - Australian Defence Magazine Aug 2019
P. 10

NEWS REVIEW
INDUSTRY UPDATE
Commonwealth signs NASAMS acquisition contract
fence against fixed wing aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles and unmanned aerial systems using the Raytheon AIM-120 AMRAAM. Advanced radars designed and manufac- tured by Canberra-based CEA Technolo- gies will be integrated with Australian de- signed and built vehicles.
Minister Price said the signing of this contract marked an important milestone for the project.
“I’m delighted that Australia’s most in- novative technologies will be used as an in- tegral part of one of the world’s best short- range ground based air defence systems under Land 19 Phase 7B,” Minister Price said. “Australian industry will continue to play a vital role in the $1.5 billion acquisi- tion, which will replace the Army’s existing RBS-70 system.”
Separately, Raytheon officially awarded Kongsberg a contract worth $270 million for the provision of components to the system.
Raytheon Australia’s newly-established Centre for Joint Integration in Adelaide will be used for the design, manufacture and assembly of some key elements of NASAMS.
MINISTER for Defence Linda Reynolds and Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price have announced the signing of a $680 million acquisition contract with Raytheon Australia as part of the government’s investment for the supply of a new short range ground based air defence capability, the National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS).
“This capability will contribute to the protection of our servicemen and women from modern airborne threats and be based on the proven Raytheon/Kongs- berg NASAMS which is used by numer- ous countries, including the US,” Minis- ter Reynolds said.
The system provides ground-based air de-
France launches first next-gen nuclear submarine
NAVAL Group launched the Suffren, the first of six Barracuda class nuclear subma- rines, in Cherbourg on July 12.
The Suffren is the first of class to replace the Rubis class submarines. Naval Group is the prime contractor of the ship’s architecture and TechnicAtome is the prime contractor for the nuclear reactor. The French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) is in charge of the overall program, with the Atomic En- ergy and Alternative Energies Commission (CEA) in the lead for the nuclear reactor.
The submarine is designed and built in Nantes-Indret, Angoulême-Ruelle, Brest and Lorient, with Naval Group's Ollioules site responsible for the design and produc- tion of the combat system and a site in Tou- lon responsible for maintenance.
The entire program is managed from Cherbourg, which is where a number of Australians are based as they work on the design for the RAN's diesel-electric Attack class subs, a Barracuda variant.
“We are proud to have presented to the President of the French Republic the first submarine of the Barracuda class, a symbol of our exceptional know-how and our ability to
master the most advanced technologies and the most complex products," Hervé Guillou, Chairman and CEO of Naval Group, said.
"Now, we are all focused on finalising the Suffren tests at the shipyard, with the start- up of the nuclear boiler room in the coming weeks, but also on producing the complete series. Maintaining our knowledge and adapting to new technologies are among our main priorities.”
According to Naval Group, in-service support was taken into account from the submarine’s design stage to limit the num- ber and duration of inter-
ventions and optimise at-sea availability.
The Suffren will be armed with MBDA's naval cruise missiles. It also allows the dis- creet deployment of special forces or underwater vehicles thanks to a diver's hatch and an optional dry deck shelter.
French President Emmanuel Macron at
the launch of the Suffren.
The new class of submarine have a surface displacement of 4,700 tonnes, a diving dis- placement of 5,300 tonnes, are 99 metres long, 8.8 metres wide, and carry F21 heavy- weight wire-guided torpedoes, modernised Exocet SM39 anti-ship missiles and cruise missiles, with a crew of 65.
The hybrid propulsion system uses a pres- surised water reactor derived from the reac- tors on board the Triomphant-type SSBN and the Charles-de-Gaulle aircraft carrier, two propulsion turbines, two turbo genera- tors and two electric motors.
10 | August 2019 | www.australiandefence.com.au
NAVAL GROUP
RAYTHEON


































































































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