The Australian government has announced an additional £11bn (A$11bn) to extend the operational life of its six Collins-class submarines, bridging a capability gap until the first Aukus nuclear-powered vessels arrive in 2032. The decision, revealed by Defence Minister Richard Marles on Tuesday, will keep the submarines in service for up to an extra decade, with the oldest boat, HMAS Farncomb, now expected to operate until about 2036.
The Collins-class submarines, built in Adelaide, were originally designed for a 30-year working life but have already been in service for between 23 and 30 years. The so-called “life of type extension” works will be carried out by government-owned shipbuilder ASC in Adelaide. The £11bn price tag is significantly higher than the previous estimate of £4bn to £6bn by the former Coalition government.
Marles stated that the program will reduce engineering risk by sustaining existing systems where appropriate while continuing to upgrade critical capabilities, including weapons and combat systems. The government expects that on average, three submarines will be in maintenance at any given time, with the other three available for the Royal Australian Navy, including two for operational deployment.
The extension is necessary due to delays in the Aukus program, under which Australia will acquire secondhand US Virginia-class nuclear submarines from 2032, followed by bespoke Australian-built models from 2042. The Albanese government has blamed shifting plans by successive governments for the churn in the submarine program, including the scrapped Attack-class deal with France.
Shadow defence minister James Paterson criticised Marles for avoiding scrutiny over the changes, accusing him of not persuading his expenditure review committee colleagues to avoid cuts to defence capability. The announcement comes as Australia plans to spend an additional £53bn on defence over the next decade, including at least £368bn on delivering Aukus.
