Hi Shadow Minister

What appears to be ambiguous heresay yesterday, that Abbott now supports an open tender, in which ASC can bid, may be as easily backtracted-on as his "Build in South Australia" late 2013 policy.

It is also possible Abbott will adhere to the policy of the previous Labor Government which is place action on submarines in the too-hard-basket until AFTER the next election.

Regards

Pete

It is a tough choice.

A build very expensive crap subs in Aus, but keep a few jobs or

B build cheap and proven subs in Japan and get the unions baying.

Yep Shadow Minister

Its such a tough choice I think Abbott would describe it as a lose-lose decision. Odds on he makes no decision till 2017.

Also Australia doesn't have the $20-$25 Billions to afford 12 big, orphan, subs. Paying off many other voter-popular causes (health, education, welfare) would keep Abbott in his job as PM and the Coalition in power.

If I had my way I'd just buy 6 medium size (Scorpene, HDW 214s, Dolphin 2, or Kockums A26) from France, Germany or Sweden for $5 Billion TOTAL price.

None of these 3,000-4,000 (surfaced) mega expensive orphan subs.

Regards

Pete

Personally, considering the size of the Australian coast and the area that Aus needs to cover with its subs, using diesel is marginally more useful than using rubber bands.

Aus should simply buy or lease 3 Virginia class nuke subs from the USA and provide a serious deterrent.

Hi Shadow Minister

I agree. Actually buying 4 Virginia SSNs would be a good idea and it wouldn't involve a problematic alliance with Japan.

The Australian Financial Review reported way back in February 2012 that:

"The United States has indicated for the first time it would be willing to lease or sell a nuclear submarine to Australia in a move that will inflame tensions with China and force the Coalition to declare its policy on ­bolstering regional defence."

see http://www.afr.com/p/national/us_floats_nuclear_subs_option_uPMgRrev3KjNwBLfFxpdeO

China, that bought Russian nuclear submarine technology decades ago (and that is after Russia donated a nuclear weapon to China) shouldn't complain. Brazil at the moment is building a SSN with French help.

Regards

Pete
see http://gentleseas.blogspot.com.au/2014/01/brazil-future-ssn-dcns-assistance.html

I can't see much point in more than 3 subs, unless we want to stick them in dry dock somewhere as a monument to the past when we had a navy.

My ex navy son is home this week. They offered him the world to stay, then tried to stick him on a ship he had never seen, with machinery he knew nothing about, just because they needed his qualifications on the thing. He has resigned, & won't be going back.

Very soon there won't be any experienced men to train the new chums.

There is not much point building or buying things we can't man. With the reputation of the current Oz built garbage, locally built is a recipe for no crew to man the things. They was offering very silly money to go to subs, & can't get any takers.

If we really want a sub force the next things had better be reliable competent things to go to sea in.

The one point most appear to be missing that if we have subs, it is because we plan to have people fight in the things. With the current subs, ordering men to fight in them is getting pretty close to committing murder.