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The Albanese government has held its third Product of Concern Summit in Canberra, renewing its focus on lifting the sustainment performance of Australia’s ageing but still essential Collins Class submarine fleet.
The Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy, chaired the meeting alongside the Minister for Finance, Katy Gallagher, with senior Defence leaders and executives from ASC and key industry partners in attendance.
“These summits bring government, industry and Defence to the same table to agree on practical steps to improve Collins Class sustainment,” Minister Conroy said.
The Collins fleet was formally listed as a Product of Concern in December 2024 after extended maintenance periods, workforce shortfalls and supply chain pressures began affecting availability. The designation triggered an intensive remediation program within the Australian Submarine Enterprise.
Since then, Defence and ASC have been working jointly on a comprehensive plan to stabilise and strengthen the sustainment system. This has included workforce retention and recruitment measures at ASC’s Osborne facility, productivity improvements across the deep maintenance cycle and early steps to streamline component supply chains.
Conroy said regular summits were essential to driving accountability and accelerating progress, saying, “These efforts are critical to ensuring the Collins Class remain among the world’s most capable conventionally powered submarines.”
The Collins fleet, now more than two decades in service, is undergoing a major life extension program to keep all six boats operational well into the 2030s as Australia prepares for the transition to nuclear-powered submarines under AUKUS.
Recent upgrades have included improved sonar systems, obsolescence remediation and preparations for the forthcoming life-of-type extension, which will involve extensive modernisation of combat and mechanical systems.
The government said the Product of Concern framework continues to be an effective mechanism for sharpening performance, increasing transparency and strengthening collaboration across the submarine enterprise.
