Yes plantagenet, we are going to have to arm our defence forces, even while in Oz. Having hundreds of unarmed pongos wandering around Holsworthy, or sailors around Garden Island, is just asking for a terrorist attack.

Telling navy personnel on watch while tied up at Garden Island to not interfere with any trespasser, but to call the cops really is a joke, but will get a lot of sailors killed some day.

Having our only operational amphibious assault ship playing floating hotel for a bunch of useless bureaucrats up at Manus, coming into cyclone season, when it would be better here for any rescue work required is not a joke, but ridiculous.

Time to send some tents up there for those bureaucrats, & instantly dismiss any who complain.

With the replacement today of David Johnston, as Defence Minister, by Kevin Andrews the submarine project might get back into gear.

Before Christmas Minister Andrews will hopefully give an update/media interview about where the future submarine selection process is at.

But what purpose will they serve ?

Nearly all of the comments on this thread are stupid! The primary purpose of our submarines isn't war, it's espionage. Nuclear submarines require deep water so are useless for that purpose.

There are no conceivable circumstances where having our own nuclear weapons would be of benefit to Australia. The only territory China wants to conquer is that which it considers to be Chinese. Effectively that's the South China sea (it must be Chinese because it's got China in the name) and maybe some of the territory that China's previously tried to conquer (though certainly not Japan).

And Taswegian, you're suggestion's a non starter. Port Stanvac is not a suitable site for a nuclear power plant. There would be far too much local opposition. If SA is to get nuclear power, it will be in Port Pirie where the community is broadly supportive. But I'm not convinced nuclear power would be economically viable in Australia at all, let alone at the small plant level (as around the world these tend to work out much more expensive than the big ones). And if Torrens Island is getting mothballed, it's because of a surplus of baseload electricity. There certainly won't be a shortage. SA solved its shortage problem by investing in wind, solar and a few gas turbine peakload generators.

http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4100&ct=4&tid=100 :

The nuclear powered Virginia class has several innovations that significantly enhance its shallow water warfighting capabilities including:

- a fly-by-wire ship control system that provides improved shallow water ship handling.

- other features to support special operations forces particularly SEALS. This includes a reconfigurable torpedo room which can accommodate a large number of SOF and all their equipment for prolonged deployments, and

- a large detachable dry dock shelter for a SEAL delivery vehicle that can carry divers from the Virgina sub to a beach http://gentleseas.blogspot.com.au/2014/08/navy-seal-and-submarine-capabilities.html :)

Plantagenet, none of those innovations would make a nuclear submarine suitable for surveillance.