IN Brief:
- ASC's six-year agreement with HIFraser is worth nearly A$40 million and extends a partnership established in 1992.
- HIFraser will continue providing high- and low-pressure valves and onboard maintenance services for Collins-class submarines.
- The Australian supplier has separately qualified to compete for Virginia-class submarine component contracts through the AUKUS DIVQ programme.
ASC has awarded Australian engineering company HIFraser a six-year contract worth nearly A$40 million to continue supplying specialist valves and maintenance services for the Royal Australian Navy’s Collins-class submarines. The agreement extends a relationship established in 1992 and secures ongoing equipment support as Australia undertakes work to keep its conventional submarine fleet operating during the transition to nuclear-powered vessels.
HIFraser, which has offices in Western Australia and New South Wales, will continue providing high- and low-pressure valves alongside onboard maintenance. The equipment forms part of the mechanical systems that must remain serviceable throughout the submarines’ operational lives, with specialist engineering support required during maintenance periods and when individual components need attention. ASC has not disclosed the quantities or specifications of valves covered by the renewed contract, nor how its value is divided between equipment and maintenance services.
Valves control and isolate flows within mechanical and fluid systems, including installations where pressure containment and reliable operation are essential. Their design and maintenance requirements depend on the fluids handled, operating pressures, materials and relevant system safety requirements. A component removed for inspection may require refurbishment, replacement of sealing elements or verification before it can be returned to service. In a submarine, the integrity of equipment and the assurance processes surrounding its maintenance are particularly important because access for corrective work can be constrained once a vessel is deployed.
The new agreement coincides with a significant change in Australia’s Collins Life of Type Extension programme. Following concerns about the engineering risks and delays associated with replacing major systems, the government approved a revised approach in May 2026 that places greater emphasis on retaining, restoring and maintaining existing equipment. ASC began the first implementation on HMAS Farncomb in mid-2026, with assessments intended to determine the appropriate work for each submarine.
Australia’s National Audit Office subsequently documented the difficulties encountered by the original extension programme, including an average 12-month delay against key design milestones and concerns that major system replacements could not be completed within planned docking periods. The revised strategy avoids attempting the same extensive equipment replacement programme across the entire class. It also increases the importance of established sustainment arrangements, although ASC has not specifically identified which HIFraser work packages will contribute to the life extension modifications.
The government has committed up to A$11 billion over the coming decade towards Collins-class sustainment, including extension-related maintenance, workforce and infrastructure requirements. That broader commitment should be distinguished from the nearly A$40 million HIFraser contract, which covers a defined supplier relationship rather than the overall fleet programme. Refurbishing existing submarine equipment can reduce the need for extensive redesign, but it also depends on obtaining replacement components, maintaining specialist knowledge and establishing that repaired systems remain suitable for continued service.
Rebecca Brickhill, ASC’s chief operating officer for multi-class sustainment, said the agreement would provide continuity for investment in Australian engineering capability. She described it as building on a proven relationship that enables the company to retain the people and industrial skills required to support the Navy’s operational requirements. HIFraser group chief operating officer Peter Andrews similarly pointed to the company’s experience in manufacturing and maintaining equipment for the Collins fleet over more than three decades.
The relationship also connects to Australia’s participation in the AUKUS submarine industrial programme. In November 2025, HIFraser became the first Australian company to qualify for the US Virginia-class submarine supply chain through the Defence Industry Vendor Qualification programme. Established by the Australian Submarine Agency and the US government, and delivered by ASC with American submarine manufacturers, the programme assesses suppliers against the engineering, quality and security requirements needed to participate in Virginia-class production.
HIFraser has qualified to manufacture and supply specialised valves, fittings and other components for that programme. Qualification allows the company to compete for relevant contracts, although it does not establish that a Virginia-class production order has been placed. The processes involved in supplying components for both submarine classes can draw on related mechanical engineering expertise, while the requirements imposed by individual customers, platforms and quality systems remain subject to separate assessment.
ASC’s future responsibilities include sustaining Australia’s Virginia-class submarines and participating with BAE Systems in the SSN-AUKUS programme. Those activities will require the development of additional industrial capabilities while the Collins fleet continues to demand maintenance and engineering support. The HIFraser agreement gives an established domestic supplier a further six years of contracted work, extending its role in conventional submarine sustainment as Australia develops the manufacturing and qualification arrangements required for its future fleet.
