Saab Australia has been chosen by Luerssen to provide the Situational Awareness System for the RAN’s 12 new Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs).
“The System provides the Navy with complete, consistent and up to date situational awareness and mission management using on-board, off-board, and remote data sources,” Minister for Defence Industry, Christopher Pyne, said. “Saab Australia advises it will carry out the work at its Adelaide facilities, which will create up to 50 direct jobs.”
“In more good news, Saab will also contract other Australian companies to fabricate selected components of the system providing a high level of Australian industry participation.”
“The OPVs will also be fitted with Saab’s EOS 500, a lightweight electro-optical fire control director used for observation, target identification and fire control.”
“Saab Australia is pleased to receive this order from Luerssen Australia. This is also an important step towards system commonality for the Navy, with 9LV installed, or contracted for delivery, across four classes of ship,” Andy Keough, managing director for Saab Australia, said.
“The development work being undertaken by Saab in Australia will also support export opportunities and position us well for future maritime projects.”
Luerssen Australia is under contract to lead the design and build of 12 OPVs.
The project, which in total is worth around $3.6 billion, will create approximately 1000 jobs through the build itself and the supply chain.
Construction will commence on the first ship at Osborne Naval Shipyard in SA before the end of the year.
The first two OPVs will be built in SA before the project transitions to WA, where the remaining 10 will be constructed from 2020.