World Millitary Power

The review by British expert John Coles began in 2011 and has recommended structural changes to the Australian Submarine Corporation (ASC) to improve efficiency and productivity.

The latest instalment is expected to focus on what improvements have been made and comes as the ASC completes a two-year refit of one submarine, the HMAS Rankin.

The boat will now be handed back to the navy which will then fit its operational systems.

"The Coles Report was a galvanising moment for ASC," said General Manager for Collins Class Submarine Maintenance Operations Mark Stephens.

"It took us from doing two boats in full docking and changed that methodology. It has radically shaped how we look at the maintenance, what maintenance we do and how we do the maintenance."

The most obvious sign of change at the Osborne site is a three-storey dry dock maintenance support tower which replaces old scaffolding and allows workers easier access to the submarines.

The timetable for major maintenance of the boats has changed from three years to two in keeping with the Defence Department's desire to have more of the fleet available for the navy at any one time.

In 2012, then-defence minister Stephen Smith said the Coles Review showed "we fall substantially below any comparable international benchmark".

The ASC believes the reorganisation of its operations positions it well for future projects.

"We are now looking towards that advanced manufacturing and how that is going to equip us to be more efficient in the build phase," said Mr Stephens.

http://www.abc.net.au