Advertisement

Australia sticks to French sub plan despite controversy

The Federal Government is sticking by its plan to enlist French naval contractor DCNS to build Australia’s new submarine fleet, as India shelves an order of its own over security fears.

Sep 05, 2016, updated Sep 05, 2016
A mock-up of the Shortfin Barracuda submarine, with a fleet of 12 to be built in Adelaide. Photo: EPA

A mock-up of the Shortfin Barracuda submarine, with a fleet of 12 to be built in Adelaide. Photo: EPA

Secret data about the capabilities of the Scorpene submarine were leaked in August, sparking fears about the security of plans for the Shortfin Barracuda which Australia is commissioning from the same firm.

Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne has told ABC radio the Scorpene export-class submarine bears no relationship to the Barracuda, which is a unique design.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull plans to discuss the issue with French president Francois Hollande when the two leaders meet on the sidelines of the G20 leaders summit in China.

“Maintaining absolute maximum security, total security on information of this kind is critical,” he told reporters in Hangzhou.

Turnbull has also discussed the submarine bid with German chancellor Angela Merkel, telling her the advice to his government was “absolutely unequivocal that the French bid was the one that best met our very unique requirements”.

Germany and Japan lost out to France for what could be a contract worth up to $50 billion.

-AAP

Local News Matters
Advertisement
Copyright © 2024 InDaily.
All rights reserved.