29 September 2021
Saab Kockums looks to take vital role in Collins LOTE programme
by Richard Scott
The Collins-class Life-of-Type Extension was approved earlier this year to avoid a capability gap pending the introduction of replacement submarines. (Commonwealth of Australia)
Saab's Kockums business is examining how experience from submarine build and upgrade programmes in Sweden could be applied to Australia's forthcoming Collins-class Life-of-Type Extension (LOTE) programme.
Intended to maintain the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN's) six Collins-class boats in service into the 2040s, the AUD6 billion LOTE codified as Project SEA 1450 was approved by the Australian government earlier this year to avoid a capability gap pending the introduction of replacement submarines. The commitment to the LOTE programme has been reaffirmed in light of the recent decision to cancel the Attack-class submarine project and instead procure eight new nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) under the new alliance.
Designed by Kockums, and built by ASC in Osborne, South Australia, the Collins-class boats were commissioned into the RAN between 1996 and 2003. The LOTE programme is designed to deliver major upgrades to platform and combat systems to extend the 30-year life of each boat by a further 10 years.
The first LOTE refit is scheduled to start in 2026, with work on each boat planned to last two years. The scale and invasive nature of the LOTE and the pressure to adhere to a tight schedule is expected to require the pressure hull to be cut open to allow access within. This is a practice already familiar to Saab Kockums through previous refits and upgrades for the Royal Swedish Navy (RSwN).
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