{"id":33442,"date":"2020-01-17T15:05:48","date_gmt":"2020-01-17T15:05:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2020\/01\/17\/australian-defense-leaders-defend-submarine-buy-with-frances-naval-group\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:43:46","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:43:46","slug":"australian-defense-leaders-defend-submarine-buy-with-frances-naval-group","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/global\/2020\/01\/17\/australian-defense-leaders-defend-submarine-buy-with-frances-naval-group\/","title":{"rendered":"Australian defense leaders defend submarine buy with France\u2019s Naval Group"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

MELBOURNE, Australia \u2013 Australian defense leaders this week denied claims that their department was urged to consider alternatives to the navy’s plans of buying 12 large conventionally-powered submarines from France’s Naval Group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The claims, reported by local news media in the wake of an Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) report about the program earlier this week, suggested negotiations with Naval Group were at such a poor state the Commonwealth-appointed Naval Shipbuilding Advisory Board had earlier recommended drawing up contingency plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, in a statement released Wednesday by Secretary of Defence Greg Moriarty, Chief of Defence Force Gen. Angus Campbell, Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Mike Noonan and Deputy Secretary Naval Shipbuilding, Tony Dalton, denied the claims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cContrary to media interpretations of ANAO\u2019s latest report on the Future Submarine Program, Defence was not advised to \u2018walk away\u2019 from Naval Group by the Naval Shipbuilding Advisory Board,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn line with best practice and following the advice of the Advisory Board, Defence has continued to assess all of the risks that attend this highly complex program. At each stage, we are adopting relevant risk mitigation strategies. The ANAO acknowledges that Defence has taken steps to manage risks.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 12 Attack-class submarines are being acquired under Australia\u2019s Sea 1000 (Future Submarine) program to replace six existing Collins-class boats which, without a major service life extension program, will need to be retired by 2036. The design is based on the French Barracuda-class nuclear attack boat, and the program is valued at either $34.5 billion (50 billion Australian dollars), or $55.2 billion (AUD 80 billion), depending on accounting practices. Either way, it is Australia\u2019s largest-ever defense acquisition program.<\/p>\n\n\n\t