Long overdue, the Australian government is finally ready to sign an overarching strategic partnering agreement (SPA) with Naval Group for construction of 12 new submarines, but this document will still not be inked until February 2019.
Defence Minister Christopher Pyne said: ‘I congratulate everyone involved in achieving this significant milestone. The SPA will be signed in early 2019 and will govern the delivery of the Future Submarines over the decades to come.’
Negotiations concluded at a National Security Committee meeting in Melbourne on 10 December.
When defence ministers are forced to congratulate parties for simply approaching the point of
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The expansion of the Redstone facility in Alabama will enable Raytheon to increase production of Standard Missiles in the location by 50% and support Washington in refilling stockpiles after recent operations have depleted the Pentagon’s reserves.
Major naval initiatives including the European Patrol Corvette programmes and Norway’s UK partnership-focused purchase of Type 26 frigates point to the growing interest in the advantages of commonality across allied navies.
The UK Royal Navy’s rapid procurement of uncrewed platforms aligns with the force’s strategic shift towards a fleet better equipped to handle modern threats.
The Astute-class submarine’s visit to Australia was the first time maintenance activity on a UK Royal Navy nuclear submarine had been carried out in the country.
The offensive against Iran could impact training and maintenance cycles and accelerate the degradation of the US arsenal on top of depleting Washington’s stockpiles.
The UK MoD is scoping out systems to counter the growing threat of uncrewed aerial systems, with a focus on low-cost modularity and speed to field.
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