The Navy has begun quietly examining whether German-made submarines could provide an interim capability for Australia before a future $90 billion French-designed fleet is due to enter service in over a decade.The Defence Department is refusing to confirm or deny whether a senior naval officer is examining the Type 214 submarine produced by Germany's TKMS
Department sources said Navy's Director-General of Submarines, Commodore Timothy Brown, recently began a preliminary study of Type 214 submarines manufactured by German company TKMS, although Defence is refusing to confirm or deny the activity. It is understood Commodore Brown is exploring if it would be possible for the Navy to modify a Type 214 submarine for Australian purposes, well ahead of when the future French submarines are expected to be delivered.A spokesman for the Defence Department refused to say whether Commodore Brown had been tasked with exploring possible German submarine options for the Australian Navy.
Over recent months, federal government frustrations with Naval Group have grown and there are concerns inside Defence that Australia may need a new submarine capability well before the first of the French-designed submarines is scheduled to enter service in the mid-2030s. "There are many capabilities in the Type 214 that far exceed the capabilities of the Collins Class submarines."Another confidential Defence study, led by the Chief of Joint Operations, is believed to have recommended other submarine options, such as more funding for research into unmanned underwater vehicles , and bringing forward comprehensive upgrades to the Collins Class fleet known as life-of-type-extension .
Federal government figures have conceded if the recommendation was accepted it would likely kill off Western Australia's push to take lucrative submarine maintenance work known as "full cycle dockings" away from South Australia.
Australia considers German submarine option as tensions with French company grow. After the Air Force’s troubled history with the French, the French should never have been considered a reliable supplier.
Diplomacy is a part of all negotiations. These things should not be sprouted in the public gallery. Things will work out and at the end of the day our borders should be protected. Build in Oz should be preferred👍
Dump the current stupid plan Get the best ones and yes they are nuclear
Another waste of money brought to you by the LNP
That's it! - It's obvious I know better than all these Defence 'experts' (Hardly a brag) WOMD anyone? Forget wasting more money on subs that will be used to accent US capabilities in their crazy eternity war Build homes - invest in solar - grow Hemp and foster 10,000s of jobs
Feeney4Batman so many billions down the drain with poor purchase deals in Defence
Cause for concern, but I’m sure it won’t turn into a fiasco. The Coalition are savvy economic operators and project managers - as evidenced by the smooth roll out of our world class NBN.
By the time this contract reaches its conclusion it will be the worst waste of taxpayers money in Australian history. Bank on it
Tony Abbott's pet, the Collins class joke.
Great work chris pine.
MSMWatchdog2013 Why can’t Australians build out own submarines Whose pockets are they trying to fill now, certainly not Australia’s
MSMWatchdog2013 dump the French subs, they will be obsolete by mid 30s
Cannot understand why we didn't consider the German submarine in the first place. The Germans build the best conventional submarines in the world. We don't want another cock-up like the present submarines.
All this future defence capability and platforms seems dodgy, the geopolitical atmosphere has changed, go directly to space technology and nuclear weapons so bully countries will baulk at hostility with Australia ?
What a f'g debacle...
Those Collins Class subs were pretty good in their time. Where were those built? Maybe we should build them there.
Still should be going the US nuclear models. They are a model cruise missile platform as an added bonus.
OZ navy should buy Japanese submarines. Why still worrying about what China think?
We have far more important things we could spend this money on than submarines ! Fire fighting helicopters, canals and dams to capture flood waters in the north and divert them south … fire & drought proof this country once and for all !
Won't see any new subs in my lifetime.
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Seems like a better choice.