© dcnsgroup.com.au
A French company, DCNS, will build 12 subs to replace and double the size of the Royal Australian Navy’s outdated submarine fleet. The new submarines are set to be built in Adelaide’s ASC shipyard. At least 2,800 new jobs will be offered to construct the new fleet subs in South Australia.
DCNS offers to supply a 4,500-tonne diesel-electric version of its 4,700-tonne nuclear-powered Barracuda submarine. The sub with a pump jet-propulsion system offers a quieter traveling capabilities and will be called Shortfin Barracuda.
DCNS confirmed the Shortfin Barracuda is over 90 meters in length and displaces more than 4,000 tons when dived.
Shortfin Barracuda is expected to remain in service until the 2060s and the Block 1A platform will be updated and upgraded with new technology developed in France and Australia.
“These submarines will be the most sophisticated Naval vessels in the world,” Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull commented the decision.
The French-engineered submarines will replace the navy’s current fleet of six Collins-class submarines. (They are scheduled to retire from service in the mid-2020s.)
This Australia government is soft in the head. It will cost a lot more as this is an unproven design.
Australia has no money for pensions but can waste billions on war.
$39B for 12 subs? Are we being serious here? $3.25B per submarine? Holy moly! I can see why NATO is pushing the Russia and China scare, it really does make a huge profit for the companies.