Australian industry programme builds pipeline for Virginia-class sustainment
Australian businesses can now bid to support Virginia-class submarine sustainment in Western Australia, as momentum around the Henderson Defence Precinct also builds.
Lockheed Martin has been awarded a contract modification worth $65 million covering a combat system and engineering support services for the Ship Self-Defense System (SSDS).
Work on the system will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey for completion by June 2022.
Funds for the contract were granted from the FY2019 and FY2020 naval operations and maintenance budget, as well as the FY2019 and FY2020 naval research, development, test and evaluation budget.
The contracting activity is the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, D.C.
Australian businesses can now bid to support Virginia-class submarine sustainment in Western Australia, as momentum around the Henderson Defence Precinct also builds.
Washington’s search for a foreign-built frigate could hand South Korea, Japan and Turkey a larger prize than a double-hull order: a foothold inside the US shipbuilding industrial base.
Japan’s FY2027 defence budget backs stand-off strike, a 17-aircraft MQ-9B buy and a declared bid to lead the world in uncrewed maritime assets, alongside new frigates, submarines and support ships.
Ukrainian intelligence has catalogued more than 20 Russian uncrewed surface vessels, revealing a portfolio weighted towards mine warfare and logistics, with implications for Western naval investment.
Ukraine’s UForce unveiled the MV11 uncrewed surface vessel, designed to launch and support other naval drones at sea, fuelling debate over the future of autonomous maritime task groups.
The test-firing of an Israel Aerospace Industries LORA ballistic missile from a German vessel highlights the Bundeswehr’s focus on speed to capability as it trials Israel’s operationally proven technology.