Following the official announcement, the Australian government revealed that the submarine HMAS Farncomb will be the first of the six Australian conventional Collins-class submarines to undergo a maintenance and capability enhancement program. This project is part of the life-of-type extension (LOTE) program that the government is implementing to support the transition to Australia’s nuclear-powered submarines, extending their service life until the 2040s.
The LOTE program represents the Australian government’s efforts, with an investment between USD 4 billion and USD 5 billion, to ensure that the Collins-class submarines maintain their attack and deterrence capabilities. This extension will begin in 2026 and will be conducted by ASC and Saab Kockums, ensuring the availability of future submarines without compromising the Royal Navy’s security. Other supporting companies include Thales, Raytheon, BAE, Pacific Batteries, and James Fisher Defence.
Some key points regarding the announcement include the Australian government’s decision not to proceed with updating Safran’s optronic masts, as it would add more complexity and risk to the program.
Additionally, the option to equip the submarines with Tomahawk missile launch capabilities was also dismissed due to unfavorable cost-effectiveness. This alternative was evaluated by the United States, which determined it was not viable. Experts suggest that since the specific version of the missiles is no longer manufactured, it would have been beneficial for Australia to make a bulk purchase with other countries operating Tomahawk-equipped submarines, like the Royal Navy’s Astute class or the Royal Netherlands Navy’s Walrus class. However, it’s also known that the Collins class lacks vertical launch systems, so adopting this option would require acquiring the tube-launched variant of the missile.
The Royal Australian Navy’s Collins-class currently consists of six units, the first submarines built in Australia to replace the Oberon-class electric submarines. The first, HMAS Collins, entered service in 1996, followed by HMAS Farncomb in 1998, HMAS Waller in 1999, HMAS Dechaineux and HMAS Sheean in 2001, and finally, HMAS Rankin in 2003.
It was also confirmed that the Royal Australian Navy’s Virginia-class nuclear submarines, set to be received in the early 2030s, will come standard with Tomahawk missiles. The Tomahawk cruise missiles will also be utilized by the Royal Navy’s Hobart-class destroyers, and the government has agreed in principle to equip the Hunter-class frigates with Tomahawks.
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