• The submarine rescue being launched off the back of the surface ship. (JFD)
    The submarine rescue being launched off the back of the surface ship. (JFD)
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JFD Australia will continue to supply its submarine rescue system to the RAN for at least the next four years.

JFD Australia has been awarded a significant contract extension with the Federal Government to deliver the submarine escape and rescue service until December 2023 with an option to further extend to November 2024.

In Australia, submarine rescue involves sending a smaller or “mini” piloted submarine to a disabled submarine to rescue the crew on board and transfer them safely under pressure to the ocean’s surface where they are able to receive potentially life-saving decompression treatment in a specially-designed hyperbaric equipment suite.

Valued at approximately $70 million, the changes through this contract extension will create at least four full-time defence industry jobs bringing the number of new positions JFD has created in the past six months to ten.

According to JFD, the extension will also see an increased focus in involving more local WA industry, particularly in the specialist area of operating the system’s new hyperbaric treatment chambers. The contract also guarantees the continued employment of the workforce of up to 60, including highly skilled specialist engineers and tradespeople at JFD’s Australian headquarters at Bibra Lake in Perth who ensure that the submarine rescue system is “rescue ready” and on standby to respond to a submarine emergency anywhere in the world.

“Keeping submariners and other defence force personnel safe has been, and will always be, JFD’s highest priority," Toff Idrus, Managing Director, JFD Australia (and a former submariner), said.

“With our submarine rescue service being one of only four air-transportable systems in the world, each and every one of us is focused on saving lives and we look forward to continuing to be a reliable partner for the RAN through the ongoing delivery of this proven submarine escape and rescue service.”

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