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The Australian government announced that May 1, 2007 marked the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) marks a new phase of their long term, strategic relationship with Tenix Defence and Saab Systems to support the ANZAC class frigates and shore facilities. The contract is an Alliance agreement of 9 years duration with an option extension for 6 years. The order includes modernization of the ships’ combat management system and fire control system.
Based on the Meko A200 design, 10 ANZAC frigates are in service in Australia (8) and New Zealand (2). The work was ordered through ANZAC Ship Integrated Material Support (ANZAC IMS) Program Alliance, which consists of Saab, Tenix Defence, and the Australian Defence Material Organisation and has serviced these ships since 1990. Tenix built all 10 ships at their dockyard at Williamstown, Victoria, Australia; while Saab is the designer for the combat system software.
The order will mean development work in both Sweden and Australia; the initial value of the contract to Saab alone is A$ 104 million (currently about $86.3 million), and further orders can be expected during the course of the agreement.