OUR LATEST REPORT

Australia's Future Submarine

This major report shows that Australia’s Future Submarine (FSM) project is extravagantly expensive, highly risky and, in an era of heightened tensions in the Indo Pacific, could compromise the future defence of Australia. It also proposes a Plan B risk mitigation strategy that should be considered very carefully by the government.

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WHY YOU SHOULD CARE ABOUT

Australia's future maritime defence

We believe the current plan for the design and construction of 12 Attack class submarines by the French government-owned company Naval Group is fundamentally flawed.

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MAJOR DEFENCE GAP

The first submarine is not expected to be in service until 2035 at the earliest, which is far too late from both a strategic and an operational perspective and will likely leave our defence forces with a major capability gap.

EXCESSIVE USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS

The already excessive cost has blown out by 60% before even a preliminary design has been produced and at $80bn for design and construction and $225bn for total through life cost the submarines are outlandishly expensive.

OFFSHORE BUILD AND MAINTENANCE

The reason we build submarines in Australia is to be able to sustain them, while Naval Group will aim to maximise French industry involvement – currently without any competition in the process there is an inadequate level of engagement between Naval Group and Australian suppliers.

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