Australia Formalizes Submarine Contract with Naval Group

L to R: Australian Minister for Defence Christopher Pyne, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and French Minister for the Armed Forces, Florence Parly.

The Australian Government has ratified a Strategic Partnering Agreement with the French shipbuilding company Naval Group that will see 12 submarines designed and built in Australia for the Royal Australian Navy as part of the Future Submarine Program.

Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Mike Noonan welcomed said the A$50-billion Attack Class program will deliver submarines that, with their inherent stealth, long-range endurance and formidable striking power will be a key part of the Royal Australian Navy’s future.

The first Attack class submarine, to be named HMAS Attack, is due to be delivered in the early 2030s.

The decision to partner with Naval Group (formerly DCNS) was made in 2016, following a competitive evaluation process. Naval Group has built 100 submarines for nine different countries.

Some work on the future submarines has already taken place under a Design and Mobilisation Contract, and this will continue uninterrupted. The formalization of the Strategic Partnering Agreement represents the contractual basis for the program.

The transfer of technology has commenced with the relocation of the first group of Australian engineers to France to learn how to carry out the detailed design of the Future Submarines. The next group of engineers will depart for France in March 2019.

The development of the submarine construction yard in Osborne South Australia, are continuing, and 169 Australian suppliers have been pre-qualified for the program with Naval Group Australia.

The Attack class submarines are a major pillar of the Australian Government’s $90 billion National Shipbuilding Plan, which will see 54 naval vessels built in Australia, to meet the strategic requirements set out in its 2016 Defence White Paper.