• HMAS Farncomb approaches the wharf at her home port of Fleet Base West at the end of a seven month deployment.
Defence
    HMAS Farncomb approaches the wharf at her home port of Fleet Base West at the end of a seven month deployment. Defence
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BAE Systems Australia has secured an additional two year, $30 million contract extension for ongoing sustainment of the Collins Class periscopes.

The original five-year contract began in 2015 and encompasses engineering, program management, supply support and highly specialised maintenance services.

During this two year extension period, BAE Systems will continue to maintain Search and Attack periscopes and undertake the necessary updates to the periscope systems.

The company originally began supporting the Collins Class submarines periscopes in 1988 at the start of the periscope build program.

Periscope work is undertaken by 34 specialist employees working in purpose built facilities at Mawson Lakes, SA and at HMAS Stirling Naval Base, in WA.

The largest update project undertaken during this time was the transition from analogue to digital periscopes which are now also transitioning into service.

“Now, more than ever, Defence programs will have an important role in Australia’s post-COVID economic recovery," BAE Systems Australia Managing Director Defence Delivery Andrew Gresham said. "We began supporting the Collins-class submarine periscope systems with an 11-year manufacturing and build program for attack and search periscope systems.

“Some three decades later, we continue to build and grow our experience in maintaining and updating this critical piece of defence equipment. During this time we have also supported the development of new capabilities in our local supply chain.

“Defence projects are high value, create and sustain new industrial capabilities, require leading edge technologies and can run over decades which is why they are so important to our nation’s economy.”

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