Now or never for Australia (Analysis)
As the ramifications of AUKUS begin to become clearer, Australia must grapple with various practical, technological and economic factors if it is to achieve its ambitions.
Australia has much to mull for its nuke sub hull
This is HMS Ambush, the second of the RN’s Astute-class submarines, and a contender for the basis of Australia’s future SSN. (UK MoD)
The announcement of AUKUS and nuclear-propelled submarines for Australia raised more questions than it answered.
On 15 September, in a coordinated move with the UK and US, Australia startled all by announcing it would procure nuclear-powered submarines instead of 12 diesel-electric boats from Naval Group. Subsequent events indicate that its submarine procurement efforts are a disjointed fiasco.
This chaotic situation is manifested by the fact that, on the very day that the AUKUS alliance was announced, Naval Group received a Department of Defence letter stating it had accepted a proposal outlining the next phase of the five-year-old Project Sea 1000.
Indeed, Naval Group had been set a September deadline to submit acceptable revised costings …
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