ASC Pty Ltd was established in 1985 and was subsequently chosen in 1987 as the prime contractor for the design, manufacture, upgrade and delivery of the Royal Australian Navy's fleet of Collins Class submarines. Today, ASC has a 25-year, multi-billion dollar contract for the through-life support of the Collins Class submarines. The contract awards ASC with the responsibility for the ongoing design enhancements, maintenance and support of the submarines until the end of their operational lives. In May 2005, ASC was selected as the shipbuilder for Australia's $8 billion Air Warfare Destroyer Program. This project will see ASC construct three state-of-the-art air warfare destroyers at its Osborne, South Australia shipbuilding facility for the Royal Australian Navy.