As I mentioned, I am now gainfully employed by ASC. It used to be that ASC was an acronym for Australian Submarine Company, but now its just ASC. And they do more than just submarines. At the ASC facility in Osborne, there is ASC North and ASC South, merely locations in the yard really. At ASC North, the construction and maintenance of the RAN's Collins Class submarines takes place. At ASC South, the new Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyer is being built. Originally, they were two separate companies under an umbrella ASC, kind of like if Bath Iron Works and Electric Boat shared the same yard called GD Marine or something like that. So the two yards had different management and rules and a couple of other crazy things, mostly benign but still, not really publish on a blog material. That is going away now I am told. I am, of course, at ASC North, working on Collins submarine stuff.
Collins class is a class of 6 diesel electric submarines operated by the Royal Australian Navy. They are Australia's only submarines and are generally considered to be a fairly capable boat, having had success in war games with the US fleet. The class does have a pretty interesting history, although much of it is less than positive. It is the subject of a book that was recommend to me, but according to Amazon ships within 1 to 3 months. Unfortunately some of that negative history is currently history in the making, with one boat just having been run over by a tug while maneuvering in port.
The Collins Class are Swedish designed boats that ASC built. While Australia had subs before Collins, they had never built one here, so design, build and test, just like thesis, was advised against. They are 254 feet long and have a hull diameter of 26 feet, making them the largest conventional boats in the world. In comparison, the Virgina Class boats that I have previously done work on are 377 feet long and 34 feet in diameter. The first time I saw a Collins was at a funny angle, and the size didn't really strike me. But the second time I went to look at one, I immediately noticed how much smaller she was. Some other features that are different than US boats are X-planes at the stern vs the cruciform of the US hunter killers and hydroplanes on the sail, similar to the early 688s. The top of the boat is covered by a fairing pretty much the entire length of the boat. Instead of being a clean cylinder like US attack boats, its more like the fairing over the midsection of the boomers, except it reaches all the way to the bow. Personally, I prefer the look of our boats, but maybe I'm biased. Although I prefer V8 Commodores and Falcons to whatever Hendrick and Roush are pretending to race these days so I am clearly open minded.
Some other interesting things. This was the first yard safety brief that I have had that included snakes. If you see a snake, call security. Because they are all the ones that will kill you. Good to know. And, since they are protected, security has to call the snake catchers. Sightings have gone down recently, bu this year they look to be back on the prowl. The safety man recounted seeing a six footer disappear into an office wall. It is also the first internship that I have done where when it is 35 degrees out, I am not reaching for the Carhart. I did get some fancy coveralls with the ASC logo and reflective tape. And a high vis vest and steel toed dress shoes. Pretty snazzy. Might have to ditch something to bring those home.
