The Department of Defence has re-engaged ASC to continue to deliver training services for the Royal Australian Navy’s Collins Class submarine program.
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Australia’s sovereign submarine company, ASC, has signed a contract with the Royal Australian Navy for the continued provision of Collins Class submariner training services.
For the past 25 years ASC has been a trusted partner in delivering submariner training at the Submarine Training and Systems Centre at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia.
Minister for Defence Marise Payne said the contract ensures all submarine crews will have the skills and knowledge to operate the Collins Class submarines safely and effectively.
ASC managing director and chief executive Stuart Whiley said he looks forward to continuing the longstanding and collaborative partnership with the RAN and its submariners.
The services include operator, maintainer and operational training for all submariners throughout their submarine career. The contract is for an initial period of five years, with two possible extensions of three years each.
"As part of our training offering, ASC uses innovative training techniques such [as] virtual reality and simulation in order to enhance submarine familiarity and maintenance proficiency," Whiley said.
More than 1,100 submariners have been trained at the Submarine Training and Systems Centre over the last 25 years. Training tempo has increased in recent years to meet the requirements of significantly increased submarine availability.
"ASC has been a trusted partner for over 25 years in delivering submariner training at the Submarine Training and Systems Centre at HMAS Stirling," Minister Payne said.
Submarines monitor the air, land and sea (both above the surface and below it), and are force multipliers: compelling foreign militaries to launch numerous vessels in response to even the threat of a single submarine.
During times of war, submarines are crucial in controlling the seas. They detect and destroy hostile submarines and surface ships, blockade foreign ports and restrict ocean transport. They provide intelligence and underwater protection for surface ships, and are able to detect and lay mines more efficiently than any other navy vessel. Submarines provide a means to land special forces in hostile regions and, if fitted with suitable weapons, are able to strike land targets.
ASC built, and now maintains, the Collins Class submarines at its specialised maintenance facilities in South Australia and Western Australia.