Suppliers await next step in Australia’s mine warfare transition
Australia’s mine countermeasure capability remains in flux as the Huon-class nears retirement, but accelerated investment in autonomous systems is opening a path for industry.
Thales delivers first Collins-class sonar array
Thales has completed the first of six new replacement bow sonar arrays on the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN’s) Collins-class submarines, the company announced on 11 March.
The company delivered the first bow sonar array to meet the RAN’s accelerated upgrade of HMAS Waller as part of a programme to extend the Collins-class submarine service life into the 2030s.
The Collins Sonar Capability Assurance Programme (CSCAP) is upgrading the capabilities of the six Collins submarines. The vessel’s current sonar has been in service since the 1980s. The new modular cylindrical array will provide enhanced sonar performance.
The CSCAP programme will now continue to manufacture and deliver the remaining five boat sets over the next five years in advance of the platform schedule.
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