Henderson to get submarine facility

by Emil Goh

May 6, 2008

A $35 million submarine facility has been opened at the Australian Marine Complex in Henderson.

ASC (formerly known as Australian Submarine Corporation), which designed and built the navy’s Collins Class submarines, will mainten and upgrade services to the submarines from Henderson for the next 25 years.

“This facility represents a much needed and significant step forward, delivering a world-class submarine maintenance facility in Western Australia,” federal government defence procurement spokesman Greg Combet said, launching the facility on April 30.

Mr Combet added ASC’s services would provide good value for money for the navy.

“Every dollar saved is a dollar available to better support the Australian Defence Force,” he said.

ASC has worked in WA since 1996, and is now amalgamating three of its service units into one submarine support facility.

“Initially around 185 personnel will be based at the facility undertaking several million dollars worth of submarine support activities each year,” said Greg Tunny, Managing Director of ASC.

The first submarine will dock in Henderson once a new floating dock, to be built by ASC, starts operating in 2009.