Non-Subscriber ExtractAustralia requires help for future submarine |
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By Julian Kerr
06 November 2009
The design and development of Australia's future submarine programme would be at the margins of the country's present scientific and technological capacity and would rely on assistance from allies, Greg Combet, the country's Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science, said on 4 November.
In a speech setting out the challenges inherent in the SEA 1000 programme – costed at the end of October by a leading think-tank at more than AUD30 billion (USD27 billion) – Combet said the project would need "every bit of scientific, technological and industrial capacity that Australia can muster. And we will inevitably require assistance from our allies to succeed".
The defence White Paper published in May disclosed that Australia's six Collins-class submarines would begin to be replaced in 2025 by 12 next-generation submarines with greater range, longer endurance on patrol and expanded capabilities.
The government has said the new submarines would be conventionally powered and built in Australia. It has also confirmed that US science and technology support will be an important element of the new capability.