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| Australian Collins class Submarine |
By Harry Kazianis
Australia has been on the hunt for possible designs for its next generation submarine program. With potential options already including domestic, European, or American suppliers, a new entrant into the race has recently emerged.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Australia is in the beginning phases of exploring a Japanese submarine design for possible usage. The piece notes, “Rear-Admiral Rowan Moffitt, head of the navy's Future Submarine Program, and Dr. Alexander Zelinsky, the Chief Defence Scientist, travel to Japan this month to look at its Soryu-class submarines which came into service three years ago.”
The Soryu-class submarines are an advanced non-nuclear diesel submarine. An article in the Adelaide Now describes the Soryu boats as “the only new conventional submarines to meet the size and capabilities set out in Canberra's 2009 white paper for 12 new submarines to take over from the existing Collins Class - with a final decision to be made on the design earmarked for 2017.”
Read the full story at The Diplomat