Defence is reportedly considering a plan that would de-scope HMAS Farncomb’s planned Life of Type Extension (LOTE) over fears that ASC won’t be able to complete the originally planned work within the two years allocated for each LOTE overhaul.
According to The Australian, Defence is considering a plan under which HMAS Farncomb’s main motors, diesel engines, and electrical generators would not be replaced during its forthcoming LOTE docking.
Farncbomb’s LOTE docking will occur in 2026 during its planned Full Cycle Docking (FCD) availability.
Every Collins class submarine undergoes a two-year-long FCD every ten years at the Osborne Naval Shipyard. They complement shorter Mid-Cycle Dockings (MCD) which are completed at ASC’s facilities in Henderson.
Due to the need to sustain the overall Collins class fleet, ahead of the planned delivery of the first Virginia class submarines in the early 2030s, each LOTE overhaul must be completed within the two year FCD availability. If one submarine falls behind then it will impact the rest of the fleet.
According to The Australian, there are also concerns that ASC may not be ready to complete a full LOTE upgrade package on the next Collins class submarine by 2028 when it is scheduled for its next FDC.
In December last year, Defence listed the sustainment of the Collins class submarine as a Product of Concern.
“By listing Collins class sustainment as a Product of Concern, the Government is demonstrating its commitment to remediating these challenges and ensuring the Submarine Enterprise, which includes Defence and ASC Pty Ltd, delivers and sustains improved performance,” said the Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery, Pat Conroy.
The overall scope and scale of LOTE has changed dramatically following the collapse of the Attack class submarine program. Collins LOTE had originally been envisioned as a stepping stone to the Attack class capability, consequently, during LOTE each Collins class was to have been fitted with systems that would later be equipped on the Attack class.
One major item that would have been common between the two classes was Safran’s non-hull penetrating Optronics system. That capability was dumped from LOTE in mid-2024 after Defence had spent $33 million on the project. Other capabilities enhancements have also been removed from the scope of the program. A Navy-commissioned study found that fitting the boats with torpedo-tube-launched Tomahawk missiles was “not viable and does not represent value for money”.