China weighs in on sale of Australian submarine builder

JANE'S DEFENCE WEEKLY | MAY 01, 2002 | IAN BOSTOCK

[Dundee]

China weighs in on sale of Australian submarine builder
IAN BOSTOCK JDW Correspondent Sydney

The Australian government's sale of the 'order-starved' Australian Submarine Corporation (ASC) has encountered difficulties because China has expressed strong concerns over any US companies buying an interest in the Adelaide-based submarine builder.

According to a report in The Australian, China's foreign minister is set to warn the Australian government against selling a stake in ASC to US interests during Prime Minister John Howard's visit to Beijing on 23 May. While the USA has no extant capacity to design and build diesel-electric submarines, China fears that US access to diesel-electric submarine technology could be the key enabler to the USA fulfilling its pledge to supply conventional submarines to Taiwan.

ASC recently delivered the last of six 3,000-tonne Collins-class submarines to the Royal Australian Navy, and it is anticipated that once the installation of a Replacement Combat System is completed around 2005, the class will be among the most capable and advanced diesel-electric submarines in the wider Asian region. With plans to privatise ASC this year, Australia has already signalled its preference to secure General Dynamics Electric Boat Corporation (EBC) as the "capability partner" for ASC, with EBC currently undertaking a scoping study of ASC's capabilities and work prospects. A key consideration will be ASC's perceived ability to attract export orders for new submarines in the Asian region.

A share of ASC, which may represent up to 40% ownership, would provide EBC access to sensitive conventional submarine design, platform, performance and combat system technology and expertise.

While Jane's Defence Weekly understands that the Australian government is currently not in favour of selling submarines to Taiwan, transfer of the necessary technology to and construction of conventional submarines at EBC's US yard could circumvent the issue.

[Dundee]

A share of ASC, which may represent up to 40% ownership, would provide EBC access to sensitive conventional submarine design, platform, performance and combat system technology and expertise.

While Jane's Defence Weekly understands that the Australian government is currently not in favour of selling submarines to Taiwan, transfer of the necessary technology to and construction of conventional submarines at EBC's US yard could circumvent the issue.

I predicted this over a year ago. I'd love for Australia to build the submarines but if not then Electric Boat can have all the data they want.

Stick it to the PRC!

[LibWhacker]

While the USA has no extant capacity to design and build diesel-electric submarines, China fears that US access to diesel-electric submarine technology could be the key enabler to the USA fulfilling its pledge to supply conventional submarines to Taiwan.

Oh, please. We have no extant capacity to design and build rickshaws either. But I assure you, our first prototype would be ten times better than anything the Chinese have turned out in 5,000 years.

[sleavelessinseattle]

anecdotal corroboration...A business associate of mine went to China one time and in one lab, they had a state of the art gas chromatograph, an Electron microcope, and next to it a little guy with thick glasses, a hammer and an alphanumeric punch set, manually tapping serial numbers into little name plates digit by digit...When the Chicoms can put ten men in to avoid buying one machine...its a good trade... ain't no way to run a navy.

[Enemy Of The State]

FYI

[Free the USA]

Check the Bump List folders for articles related to and descriptions of the above topic(s) or for other topics of interest.

[pyx]

While the USA has no extant capacity to design and build diesel-electric submarines, China fears that US access to diesel-electric submarine technology could be the key enabler to the USA fulfilling its pledge to supply conventional submarines to Taiwan.

This is a hoax post, like one from The Onion or BSNN, right ?

The communist Chinese are not really claiming this, are they ?

Apologies for omitting the necessary "psychotic" as a prefix to "communist Chinese" above. Its a given.

[tallhappy]

The Australian government has already decided to be a vassal state for China.

This is just more of it.

[batter]

Stick it to the PRC Bump!
EOTS - thanks for bringing my attention to this. Very interesting.

[Tailgunner Joe]

bttt

[Sawdring]

Thanks for the link on this one. Lets see what Australia does with this one, it might show who is who on the Asian totem pole.

[Sawdring]

Bump for you people. Those Chinese have some nerve. LOL!

[Sawdring]

This is why the US isn't building the Subs yet. The US doesn't have the capability to build them. I think the US is shopping around because if my memory serves me, Germany was on a short list to build some for the US for Taiwan.