Australia's defence industry will act as a 'steward' for the Royal Australian Navy's Hobart class destroyers under a new approach to sustainment that will optimise the destroyers' capability and create hundreds of jobs in South Australia.
Tenders opened today for a Capability Life Cycle Manager, which will see industry support and sustain the destroyers through their lifespan.
Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price encouraged Australian industry to become part of an innovative new model sustaining Navy's ships.
"This model builds on the success of our continuous naval shipbuilding initiative and has been designed to ensure we can continue to deliver complex naval capability at sea that is reliable and fit-for-purpose," Minister Price said.
"It includes performing asset management for the capability and supporting the upgrade of their combat management system.
"Once again the Morrison Government is delivering enormous opportunities for Australia's defence industry, particularly in South Australia."
The Morrison Government will invest up to $5.1 billion for the upgrades at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia - creating 300 jobs in the State - as part of a major expansion of Australia's naval capabilities announced on 16 September 2021.
The destroyers will be the first major platform to have a Capability Life Cycle Manager, a further step in the realisation of the Future Maritime Sustainment Model under Plan Galileo - Defence's new national, innovative approach to sustainment.
It follows the appointment of Raytheon as the Capability Life Cycle Manager for the new Arafura class offshore patrol vessels in December 2020.
An Industry Briefing will be held about the Hobart class destroyer Capability Life Cycle Manager on 4 November 2021.
Tenders will need to be received on or before 21 January 2022. Further information is available on AusTender.
