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Deal signed with France for Australia’s new subs

Australia-s French-designed Barracuda submarines will look like this on the outside, but inside thy will be entirely re-designed.

Australia-s French-designed Barracuda submarines will look like this on the outside, but inside thy will be entirely re-designed. Photo: DCNS

The federal government and French shipbuilder DCNS have signed an agreement to begin designing new submarines for Australia.

Defence company Lockheed Martin Australia has also been chosen as preferred combat system integrator for the project.

Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne said the signing of the design and mobilisation contract on Friday would herald the beginning of work on the $50 billion Future Submarine Program.

Under the deal DCNS will design new subs, based on its Barracuda nuclear attack boats.

The subs will be built in Adelaide, the first expected to enter service in the early 2030s. Designing will take up to five years.

“The timely start of design and robust planning for each phase of the program are essential to success and for the benefits to start flowing to the Australian economy,” Mr Pyne said in a statement.

Lockheed Martin Australia, a subsidiary of the US defence giant, was chosen over Raytheon Australia for the crucial job of integrating the combat system on the new subs.

That involves linking the submarine’s sonar and other sensors, weapons and navigation systems. Central to that will be a US BYG-1 tactical control system that is used in Australia’s Collins subs and also US subs.

Defence Minister Marise Payne said Lockheed Martin Australia would work with DCNS to design and integrate a combat system to meet Australia’s unique capability requirements.

That will involve about 200 full time jobs.

“By partnering with an Australian-based company with strong links to the United States we will ensure that we get the best Australian and US technology, while ensuring that our sensitive technology is protected,” Senator Payne said in a statement.

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