The Australian government is poised to commit to building 12 new diesel submarines at a cost of $40 billion without even considering the option of more efficient, more powerful, nuclear-powered alternatives.
Simon Cowan, author of Future Submarine Project Should Raise Periscope for Another Look, released today by The Centre for Independent Studies, says the government risks repeating the mistakes of the current Collins Class submarines, with high running costs and reliability issues.
“Australia needs world-class submarines and the US Virginia Class looks like the best option.”
“Nuclear-powered submarines are superior in almost every way to diesel-powered submarines – they can travel further, faster and stay deployed for longer, and they have more powerful weapons, systems and sensors.”
“However, the government has refused to consider nuclear-powered submarines for reasons that don’t stack up.”
“Safety considerations are important when talking about nuclear power,” Cowan notes, “but the safety record of the US Virginia Class is flawless. These subs don’t carry nuclear weapons and never need refuelling – and if Australia leases them from the United States, the US could dispose of spent nuclear material.”
“Australia could also save more than $10 billion by leasing eight Virginia Class submarines and up to $750 million a year on operational and maintenance costs as well.”
via Axe dud subs and look to nuclear option, says new CIS report.
Why should this surprise us? after all the decision comes from a government that appears to have no economic capability whatsoever and thinks that it can just keep spending without any concept of where the funds will eventually come from. Give them another few turns at office and Australia, once the lucky country, can end up lining up behind Greece Spain.
There must be a hidden agenda somewhere because many (I presume qualified) commentators have been making this point (regarding the need for required range only being possible from nuclear powered subs) for a considerable time.
We can sell Uranium to India and others (and that wont end up in subs and the like) but cant use it ourselves.
Talk about beating a dead horse.
What a shame that we can’t have well based constructive discussions on such matters.
Nuclear subs sound OK but I worry that they will be viewed as an aggressive attack platform and acquisition would immediately trigger an arms race in the region. Also, I do not believe that Aus has the engineering capability or depth the sustain a nuc sub fleet, evidenced by the fact that Aus can barley maintain 2 out of 6 conventional subs.
I agree we need new subs but unless Gina Rinehart and her mining magnate buddies are going to kick in the extra billions required, I suspect Aus will be buying proven off the shelf replacements and thus avoiding previous debacles. Aus can do the maintenance and leave the tricky build to other experts. Too much reliance on the US is risky, we need to spread it around a little. The Japanese have a credible option in the Soryu!
The Aus defence force is a “defence” force and conventional subs sit comfortably within this parameter. Conventional subs can be easily explained to sensitive yet strategic trading partners.
The government probably said you can have these or nothing. Hoping that the Navy would say “We’ll take nothing” Woo hoo another budget saving, says the government. “The navy doesn’t want more subs”
How do we save “$750 million a year on operational and maintenance costs” when we don’t have the skills or equipment to look sideways at a nuclear reactor? Or any way of producing the fuel for them? Maybe if we are lucky we can get the USA to pay for us to bury the waste in the outback somewhere so that will save some money.
My understanding is that nuclear subs don’t need to be refueled for at least 20 years. There has to be a cost saving there for sure but I wouldn’t count on Australia buying (or even considering) anything nuclear whilst the Greens hold so much sway in parliament.
Yes kind of ridiculous, burn through 100’s of thousands of liters of diesel and pollute the atmosphere. But the greens(hypocritical party) would consider nuclear as dirty.
Colin
I except that the government should think about the wisdom of spending $40 Billion on diesel powered submarines. However I wonder who the enemy is that they need the submarines for in the first place.
You don’t know about Indonesia? Where have you been hiding?
I know that Australian minister of defence was on a mission 6 weeks ago trying to sell the Indonesian government Australian made weaponry. Surly this would not be the case if the government thought they were the enemy.
Defence Management and Naval Management do not have a credible history of delivering Projects within cost or on time. Furthermore they continue duck accountability by having huge personnel churn at senior levels therefore no one person is ever responsible for any Projects. .Defence has managed projects by descoping and moving deliverable dates throughout the project without recognising slippage as an oncost that can never be recovered . Furthermore maintenance and support costs are never detailed prior to commitment to the Project. Is the $40bn estimate based on todays economy? If it is it can only be an estimate that will escalate over time. The NBN had a similar fantasy estimate which I suspected met a target figure conjured up by Government Consultants . Good move as no one in Goverment is EVER responsible/accountable.
As a member of the public based on past performance I would not trust Defence/Navy with a $40bn spend especially when defenc/navye has neither the personnel or resources to mobilise . It is not a first choice career to be a submariner they cannot get continuity of recruits for submarines with the present deployment. Take the easy option outsource equipment and management .KISS Navy Management ,keep your feet on the deck
The refusal to run a nuclear fleet is ideological as the Communist government of Australia is slowly trying to move Australia toward alignment with the Russian and Chinese methods of national control. The Green Labour coalition don’t want to upset the Chinese by having nuclear capability.
Two thoughts.
Relatively little point in these subs if they not nuclear.
Would it not be more sensible to build a drone research and development capability?