Collins class submarine replacement project

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The Collins class submarine replacement project is a Royal Australian Navy (RAN) effort to replace the Navy's six Collins class submarines with a new design from 2025. At an estimated cost of up to $A25 billion, the project may be the most expensive defence acquisition ever undertaken by the Australian Government.

In December 2007, the Australian Minister for Defence, Joel Fitzgibbon, authorized the RAN to begin planning the project.

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[edit] Development

The Australian Government and Australian Defence Force (ADF) believe that the Royal Australian Navy's submarine service forms a vital component of the ADF and may grow in importance as countries in Australia's region expand or establish their own submarine forces.[1] The role of the new submarines will be to collect intelligence, attack ships, submarines and land targets with missiles and torpedoes and land special forces teams.[2] The submarines' capabilities will also act as a deterrent against military attacks on Australia.[3]

Due to the project's complexity it is expected that it will take 17 years to design the submarines, gain government approval for the project and complete the first boat in the class. The timeline for the project calls for research into the submarines begin in late 2007 or early 2008 and be completed by 2011 when the Federal Cabinet will give initial approval to the design. After the design is developed further it is planned that Cabinet will give final approval for the project in 2014 or 2015 after which contracts for the submarines will be signed and construction will begin. The sea trials for the first new submarine have been tentatively scheduled for 2024 so that the boat is ready to replace the first Collins class submarine which is scheduled to be decommissioned in 2025.[1]

The new class of submarines is expected to be a unique Australian design rather than a variant of an existing foreign design.[2] While the Navy's study will consider all submarine options, including the acquisition of nuclear powered submarines, it is expected that the final design will be a larger, quieter, faster and better armed version of the Collins class.[1] It is also expected that the submarines will be built by ASC (formerly the Australian Submarine Corporation) in Adelaide, South Australia. ASC built all of the Collins class boats and operates the only submarine construction facility in Australia.[1] Building the boats in Australia may increase their cost, however.[4]

It is not currently known how many submarines will be built and this will be determined by the Navy's research and budget constraints. Former defence minister Kim Beazley has proposed that Australia's submarine force be doubled to 12 boats to keep pace with the increased number of submarines in Australia's region.[5] However, Australian Strategic Policy Institute defence analyst Mark Thompson has warned that Australia might not be able to afford to replace the Navy's ships on a one-for-one basis due to the rapidly increasing costs of military equipment.[4] The Kokoda Foundation, which is an independent Australian defence think tank, has estimated that cost of building replacements for the Collins class and arming and supporting the new submarines may be as high as A$25 billion. If this estimate is correct it would make the project the most expensive defence acquisition ever undertaken by the Australian Government.[1]

[edit] Proposed design features

While the submarines' design will not be finalised until after 2011, a range of features have been suggested.

Nuclear propulsion is likely to be ruled out because of cost and the lack of nuclear-power infrastructure. It is expected that the submarines will have an air-independent propulsion system that will allow them to remain underwater much longer than the Collins-class boats.[2] The submarines will also have state-of-the-art batteries and sophisticated communications.[6]

The new submarines are expected to be better armed than the Collins class, armed with long-range cruise missiles, which are not currently carried by the Collins class, as well as shorter ranged missiles and torpedoes. The new submarines may also carry midget submarines which will be used to collect intelligence or land special forces troops.[2]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e Stewart, Cameron. "Navy's new lethal subs", The Australian, 2007-12-26. Retrieved on 2007-12-26. 
  2. ^ a b c d Stewart, Cameron. "Defence to reach new depths", The Australian, 2007-12-29. Retrieved on 2008-01-12. 
  3. ^ "New subs unlikely to go nuclear: ADA", ABC News, 2007-12-26. Retrieved on 2008-01-12. 
  4. ^ a b Dodd, Mark. "Navy cost sinking budget", The Australian, 2008-01-07. Retrieved on 2008-01-12. 
  5. ^ Stewart, Cameron. "Sub fleet should be doubled: Beazley", The Australian, 2007-12-29. Retrieved on 2008-01-12. 
  6. ^ Walters (2006). Page 11.

[edit] References

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Submarines of the Royal Australian Navy
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