Australia sitting ducks without new subs

The Australian ^ | September 28, 2017 | ROSIE LEWIS

[sukhoi-30mki]

Australia would have no way of stopping an intrusion by a major power if the government did not invest in modified off-the-shelf submarines, a defence expert warned as debate over the nation’s submarine capability reignites.

An independent report released yesterday into the $50 billion future submarine project — Defence’s largest acquisition — called for the urgent purchase of six new off-the-shelf submarines on top of the 12 Shortfin Barra­cudas selected by the Turnbull government last year.

The report from consulting firm Insight Economics, Australia’s Future Submarine: Getting This Key Capability Right, drew a fierce rebuke from Defence Minister Marise Payne and Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne, who labelled the document a “hatchet job” and “beat up”.

Commissioned by Sydney businessman Gary Johnston, who has been pushing for at least a year to torpedo Australia’s plan for the fleet of French-built submarines, the report says the selected Shortfin Barracudas carry “excessive costs” and come with strategic, economic, technical and industrial risks.

Mr Johnston has said he is not affiliated with any political party nor represents any military contractor but hopes to “embarrass” the Defence department and government over its decision to award the design rights for the ­future submarines to French shipbuilding company DCNS.

Launching the report at the National Press Club yesterday, co-author Hugh White, professor of strategic studies at the Australian National University and a former deputy secretary for strategy at the Department of Defence, said the current fleet of Collins-class submarines needed replacing or Australia risked an operational gap of up to two decades. “The current project we have to do that is in deep trouble,” he said.

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

The folks from "Down Under"
seem to be at risk, when the threat is
"down under" (the water) !

[Pollster1]

off-the-shelf submarines

Somehow, I don't visualize submarines as an off the shelf product.

[Savage Beast]

Australia is already a sitting duck: Overpopulated China just salivates when it thinks about Underpopulated Australia, with all that land and natural resources, potential dominance over the Pacific Ocean and Antarctica, and how feeble Australia's defenses would be against China's military and economic might--without the United States, of course.

I think about this when Australians criticize and ridicule the U.S.A.--which happens very often. Sometimes I find it necessary to remind the Aussies of where they would be without the protection of the U.S.A.

[miliantnutcase]

“turn-key” submarines... lol

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Wait til the Chinese get a dose of Australia’s nasty snakes and insects...

[Grimmy]

I’m all for Australia arming itself as best it can manage (not that my opinion means squat, since I’m not Australian), but... umm... news flash.

Australia couldn’t defend itself against an intrusion by a “major power” no matter what it did. There simply aren’t enough Australians to mount that kind of defense.