Dec. 6 – The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) selected Selex Es to modernize the communication systems of eight Anzac class frigates. The Finmeccanica Group company, an international leader in electronics for defense and security, was awarded a contract worth AUSD 188 million (€125 million) from the Australian defense materiel organization (DMO) on behalf of the Australian government. The company will provide equipment and support for the communication systems of the eight frigates of the Australian Navy as part of Phase 4 of the program Sea 1442. In a note, Finmeccanica explains “the service entry date of the first ship is expected in 2018. Support services for this new capability will be provided by Selex Es Australia Pty, a Melbourne-based company. The latter was created to play a leading role in the delivery and support of the program and will be the reference point for the transfer of skills and know-how to the Australian navy.” According to Step 4 of the project Sea 1442, the “Australian industry capability program ” will complement the work undertaken by Finmeccanica to identify potential opportunities for small and medium sized Australian businesses, in accordance with the principles expressed by “the Australian government global supply chain,” which the Finmeccanica Group joined in 2012. “The operational capability upgrade of Anzac class frigates – says Finmeccanica – will lay the foundations to build maritime architecture, essential for RAN’s future tactical communications, and will also help digitize and ‘ put online ‘ the Australian armed forces.”
