The French Golden Goose never got to deliver even it's first egg.

It turned out to be a Turkey .

One can see why the French are unhappy , I would be if my GG was roasted.

As IF the French would want to cooperate with Aus on subs after the AUKUS declaration?!

Aus nuke Barracuda SSNs would need to be Uranium refueled in France every 7-10 years rather than having the UK/US all-of-life 35 year core reactors.

UK/US SSNs are superior to French SSNs in all other ways.

We rarely inter-operate with the French Navy (including their nuke subs - rarely in our region). In contrast we operate ith the UK Royal Navy at a higher tempo and constantly interoperate with US Navy SSNs.

In any case the French Government owned Naval Group are fully committed finishing their Barracuda SSNs for France and building the next generation SSBNs for France.

In light of French SSNs and SSBNs for France - its already proven that France considered the Aussie Attack class build as THIRD PRIORITY

and would treat French SSNs for Aus as THIRD PRIORITY!

I'm all for nuclear submarines, nuclear weapons and anything else that means we can at least try to protect ourselves from Communist China. But I've just read an article mentioning "our third change of mind on submarine options in six years" and how this could raise "questions about our competence in matters of defence acquisition".

One point raised was: if in 2013 defence department officials opposed the nuclear-powered submarines option on the grounds that, without a domestic nuclear industry, Australia wouldn’t have the capacity to operate or maintain them, how come that's not a problem now? We still don't have a nuclear industry, and Morrison says we won't have one.

It's not the submarines that pisses off China. Lord knows when we will get them, and even when we do, China could still do us like a dinner. The real problem for China is that the US and the UK have reinforced the fact that they have our back.

In the meantime, China has its own problems. As of now, China's debt is 280% of GDP. Xi has banned things like private tutoring; is reining in Chinese tech companies, and squeezing the property sector, which will hit foreign investment, largely responsible for Chinese growth.

China has lingered as a middle-income country for 25 years - much longer than the Asian tigers like South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore. The workforce is shrinking because of the one-child policy. The CCP is scared stiff of the Chinese people; hence the bluff and bluster against Australia, which is the only country not bowing down to Xi’s threats and insults around trade and economy.

If we could lease a nuclear-powered hull or two? Our navy personal could be up to speed on the operation/capability before the first of our purchases are delivered?

Those that fail to see why confronting a nuclear-armed adversary with a similar capability as reprisals! Leave us as naked defence wise as the hypothetical Emporer! Whereas, having that capability means logically never having to use them!

And maybe the CCP returning to a previous strategy of buying large chunks of real estate/infrastructure?

As a foot in the door of the same outcome? I mean there are enough quisling Australians who for a hypothetical, forty pieces of silver, will allow them to take us over without a shot fired or bloodshed? I wish with all my heart I could say different!

I also agree we need nuclear industry here at home if only to ensure the lights stay on if we are ever tasked with conducting a war?

And if we are so charged, we may need to make all our fuel from inexhaustible seawater! Only nuclear power gives us that option at prices that are competitive, rather than prohibitive/economy-killing Naturally, that power would have to be, cheaper than coal, thorium!

That comes with miracle cancer cure, alpha particle, spinoffs!
Spinoffs that could give hope to around two million PA around the world now living with death sentences and big pharma reeling in millions from delaying the inevitable, even more from the palliative care that follows!

Indeed the very reason why they keep on keeping on pretending we haven't licked many death sentence cancers and indeed some very nasty brain cancers!

If there were any other logical reason? It surely escapes me!

Finally, in the foregoing post, Grammarly autocorrect, seems to have corrected fifth colonists into, of all things ridiculous, gift colonists? Seemingly, post posting!? Mischievous vexatious behaviour that was already way beyond tolerance!

I could probably remedy that by buying premier Grammarly!? But I'll never give in to commercial blackmail as a marketing strategy! Moreover, never ever will!
Alan B.

Apparently, the French were asked about the nuclear option and refused.