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Axe 'dud subs' and look to nuclear option, says new report
In the largest and most complex defence project ever undertaken by Australia, the government is poised to commit to building 12 new diesel ‘Future Submarines’ at a cost of $40 billion without even considering the option of more efficient, more powerful nuclear-powered submarines.
The Future Submarine Project is a very risky proposition, and despite slashing the defence budget in other areas, the government is ignoring submarines that offer better value for money, says Simon Cowan, author of Future Submarine Project Should Raise Periscope for Another Look, released today by The Centre for Independent Studies.
‘The risks of substantially redesigning an existing submarine are apparent in the current Collins Class, which have extremely high running costs and class-wide reliability issues,’ says Cowan, ‘yet the government is set to repeat this mistake for the Future Submarine.’
‘Adding to these concerns is the risk that the Collins Class will be obsolete before the Future Submarine is ready to take over, leaving us vulnerable in a very challenging defence environment,’ argues Cowan.
‘Australia needs world-class submarines and the US Virginia Class looks like the best option.’
‘Nuclear-powered submarines are superior in almost every way to diesel-powered submarines – they can travel further, faster and stay deployed for longer, and they have more powerful weapons, systems and sensors.’
‘However, the government has refused to consider nuclear-powered submarines for reasons that don’t stack up.’
‘Safety considerations are important when talking about nuclear power,’ Cowan notes, ‘but the safety record of the US Virginia Class is flawless. These subs don’t carry nuclear weapons and never need refuelling – and if Australia leases them from the United States, the US could dispose of spent nuclear material.’
‘While establishing an Australian nuclear program would have its challenges, leasing eight Virginia Class submarines is a capable, reliable and safe option for our naval servicemen and women.’
‘Australia could also save more than $10 billion by leasing eight Virginia Class submarines and up to $750 million a year on operational and maintenance costs as well.’
Simon Cowan is a Research Fellow at The Centre for Independent Studies. He is available for comment.
Download the report, Future Submarine Project Should Raise Periscope For Another Look.
A video of the report's findings is available on YouTube.
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