Taiwan has awarded a firm, fixed-price contract to Lockheed to supply mission system spares to outfit new avionics components for 12 P-3C Orion anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft.

The country has procured the $47.5m aircraft under the US foreign military sales (FMS) programme to replace the navy’s aging Grumman S-2T Turbo Tracker ASW aircraft.

Taiwan’s navy currently operates a number of operational ASW helicopters, including the 500MD Defender and S-70C(M)-1/2 helicopters, according to Defense News.

Work will be performed at the company’s facility in the US and is expected to be completed in December 2012.

The US Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division is the contracting activity.