SUBMARINES (SHIPS) – AUSTRALIA – DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

AUKUS subs bigger, better, bolder

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Original article by Brendan Nicholson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 28-May-24

The Australian Submarine Agency’s director-general Jonathan Mead is confident that the project to build five SSN-AUKUS submarines in South Australia will be completed as planned. The nuclear-powered vessels will be based on the UK’s Astute-class submarines, but Mead says they will be "bigger, better, faster and bolder"; they will also be significantly larger than the three Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines that will be added to Australia’s fleet in the early 2030s.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN SUBMARINE AGENCY

Australia wrote to Naval Group noting progress on submarines a week before contract was cancelled

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Original article by Daniel Hurst
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 22-Dec-21

The federal government’s decision to terminate a contract to buy French-designed conventional submarines has attracted renewed scrutiny. It has been revealed that the Department of Defence sent a three-page letter to Naval Group in early September in which it noted the successful completion of one of the six conditions for the government to move to the next stage of the $90bn project. The letter was sent just eight days before the government cancelled Naval Group’s contract and agreed to buy nuclear-powered submarines under a new defence alliance with the US and the UK.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF DEFENCE, NAVAL GROUP

PM sinks Macron’s subs lie

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Original article by Geoff Chambers
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 2-Nov-21

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has responded to the latest furore over the decision to cancel Naval Group’s $90bn submarines contract. French President Emmanuel Macron has accused Morrison of lying about both the submarines contract and Australia’s decision to establish the AUKUS alliance. Morrison says he did not lie to Macron and informed him in mid-June that Australia had concerns about the Naval Group project and was looking at alternative submarines. Morrison says the decision to cancel the contract was made in the national interest. The federal government attempted to inform Macron of the decision two days before the AUKUS deal was announced, but Macron advised that he was not available to take a call from Morrison.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NAVAL GROUP

Submarine jobs will be sent offshore under nuclear deal with US and UK, defence suppliers say

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Original article by Andrew Greene
abc.net au – Page: Online : 1-Oct-21

The federal government’s now cancelled $90 billion submarine contract with the French called for a commitment to 60 per cent of the work being done by local suppliers. With that deal now replaced by one with the US and UK that will see Australia get nuclear-powered submarines, the local defence industry is calling for a similar commitment. However, there are suggestions that the government’s focus has shifted from local industry to getting the submarines built quickly, prompting concerns that local submarine jobs will be sent overseas.

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Lockheed refuses to lock in locals for subs

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Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 2 : 10-Mar-20

Lockheed Martin will provide the AN/BYG-1 combat control system for Australia’s new fleet of submarines. The entire submarine project is expected to cost $80 billion, with the combat system tipped to account for around 40 per cent of its cost. France’s Naval Group stated in February that it would commit to giving 60 per cent of the work on the submarines’ design and construction to Australian firms, but Lockheed Martin is unwilling to give a similar commitment in terms of the percentage of work that Australian firms might secure for the combat system.

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LOCKHEED MARTIN AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NAVAL GROUP

Collins forced to plug the subs gap

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Original article by Paul Maley
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 1-Oct-18

The Federal Government has yet to sign a strategic partnering agreement with France-based Naval Group to build a new fleet of submarines. Marcus Hellyer of the Australian Strategic Policy ­Institute has warned that a delay in finalising the agreement may in turn push back the delivery date for the 12 new submarines. He says that the government may have to extend the life of the Collins-class submarines until at least the 2040s. The first of the new Shortfin Barracuda submarines is slated for delivery in the early 2030s.

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NAVAL GROUP, AUSTRALIAN STRATEGIC POLICY INSTITUTE LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF DEFENCE, LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION

Subs blowout could scuttle tax cuts

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Original article by Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 12-Jun-18

Centre Alliance senator Rex Patrick has sought to link his support for the Federal Government’s company tax cuts package to the construction of a new submarine fleet. Patrick has expressed concern about the cost of the 12 submarines and warned that he cannot support the tax package until the full cost of the new fleet is disclosed. The Senate budget estimates committee was recently told that it will cost about $A50bn to build the submarines, but Patrick estimates that they could cost taxpayers around $A200bn in total during their operational life.

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CENTRE ALLIANCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF DEFENCE, AUSTRALIAN STRATEGIC POLICY INSTITUTE LIMITED, NAVAL GROUP

PM plots possible sale of naval shipbuilder

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Original article by Laura Tingle
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 28-Apr-16

The value of Adelaide-based ASC has risen significantly since the Federal Government announced that its shipyards will be used to build the nation’s new $A50bn submarine fleet. There is renewed speculation that the Government may consider privatising ASC, whose shipyards will also be used to build new naval frigates and patrol boats. Meanwhile, some estimates have suggested that building the submarines in Australia will increase the final cost by 30-40 per cent, although the Government believes that the cost can be reduced significantly by the time construction commences.

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ASC PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF DEFENCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE

Adelaide-built submarines will cost more, Coalition concedes

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Original article by Laura Tingle
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 27-Apr-16

The Australian Government’s decision to build a new $A50bn fleet of submarines in Adelaide will create 2,800 jobs in South Australia, including 1,100 direct jobs. RAND Corporation has estimated that building the 12 submarines overseas would have reduced the cost by 30-40 per cent, but notes that the cost will be reduced by having a continuous shipbuilding program. The submarine contract has been awarded to France-based DCNS, which edged out defence contractors from Japan and Germany.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF DEFENCE, DCNS SA, RAND CORPORATION, JAPAN. MINISTRY OF DEFENCE, JAPAN. OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Subs won’t be sunk by unions, says Premier

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Original article by Simon Evans
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 22-Sep-15

South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill has told the Federal Government that there are compelling reasons to award the contract to build a new submarine fleet to Adelaide-based ASC. He has noted in particular the harmonious relations with the three unions that have a presence on the site. They have agreed to keep industrial action to a minimum in order to increase the prospects of submarine work being awarded to ASC. Several offshore groups are also bidding for the contract.

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SOUTH AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, ASC PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF DEFENCE, AUSTRALIAN WORKERS’ UNION-FEDERATION OF INDUSTRIAL, MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING EMPLOYEES, AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING WORKERS’ UNION, COMMUNICATIONS, ELECTRICAL, ELECTRONIC, ENERGY, INFORMATION, POSTAL, PLUMBING AND ALLIED SERVICES UNION OF AUSTRALIA, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY