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| Image: Wiki Commons |
By Mina Pollmann
The Diplomat speaks with Sen. Xenophon about Australia’s submarine deal.
Ever since Australia launched an international search for a company to design and manufacture a replacement submarine for itsCollins-class fleet, the project has attracted attention from around the world. The competing bids from Japan, Germany, and France, are complicated by domestic demands for the submarines to be built in South Australian shipyards and by geopolitical factors, including the perception that Australia’s government has already informally promised the contract to Japan.
The Diplomat spoke with Senator Nick Xenophon of South Australia, an outspoken advocate for building the submarines locally, about the various bids and the international and domestic politics surrounding the deal.
Why does Australia need submarines?
Because we are an island nation with a vast coastline, submarines are an integral and vital part of Australia’s defense. I am not a defense expert, and I am not a strategic expert, but I rely on what the experts say, and there is tremendous unanimity that having a viable, capable submarine fleet is essential for Australia’s defense. Particularly in this era when the Indian and Pacific Oceans are increasing in importance, and knowing historically how important submarines are to an island nation such as Australia, we need to have a capable submarine fleet. Having 12 submarines, with at least six to eight of those being operational at any given time, is vital to cover the oceans that surround us.
Read the full story at The Diplomat