U-boats may be on navy's shopping list
29 Dec, 2011
Australia's ''future submarine'' could be a super U-boat built by a German company that made many of the submarines that nearly brought Britain to its knees in World War II.
HDW has released details of a concept design, designated the Type 216, for a long-range conventional submarine.
Experts say the design, based on the successful Type 214, is specifically targeted at Sea 1000 - Defence's future submarine program.
Rex Patrick, a former submariner and the director of Acoustic Force, said yesterday the information available indicated Type 216 would meet the requirements spelt out in the 2009 Defence white paper and there was no reason the submarines could not be built in Adelaide.
''I think they [HDW] have been working on the Type 216 for some time with candidates like Australia, India and Canada in mind,'' he said.
Another HDW design, the Type 209, is the basis for three submarines Indonesia is buying from Korea's Daewoo Shipbuilding Marine Engineering.
The $1billion contract for the three, two of which will be built in South Korea and one in Indonesia, was signed on December 20.
Defence has been considering a number of European submarines, including the HDW 214, the Spanish Navantia S-80 and French DCNS Scorpene, as replacements for the trouble-plagued Collins for some time. It has confirmed ''requests for information'' are to be sent to the three manufacturers.
Defence has also signed a contract with Babcock to research a land-based submarine propulsion test facility and a ''Future Submarine Industry Skills Plan'' is being prepared.
While Defence has acknowledged the European vessels offer proven designs and shorter delivery times than an Australian-designed submarine, the concern is they are too small to meet Australia's broad needs as outlined in the 2009 white paper.
The ''supersized'' HDW Type 216 may change that. It is more than twice the size of the three submarines that have just been commissioned by Indonesia.
Designated the Type 1400, the Indonesian boats will still be very capable. The first is expected to be in use by 2015 with the second scheduled for delivery in 2018.
Experts say the design, based on the successful Type 214, is specifically targeted at Sea 1000 - Defence's future submarine program.
Rex Patrick, a former submariner and the director of Acoustic Force, said yesterday the information available indicated Type 216 would meet the requirements spelt out in the 2009 Defence white paper and there was no reason the submarines could not be built in Adelaide.
''I think they [HDW] have been working on the Type 216 for some time with candidates like Australia, India and Canada in mind,'' he said.
Another HDW design, the Type 209, is the basis for three submarines Indonesia is buying from Korea's Daewoo Shipbuilding Marine Engineering.
The $1billion contract for the three, two of which will be built in South Korea and one in Indonesia, was signed on December 20.
Defence has been considering a number of European submarines, including the HDW 214, the Spanish Navantia S-80 and French DCNS Scorpene, as replacements for the trouble-plagued Collins for some time. It has confirmed ''requests for information'' are to be sent to the three manufacturers.
Defence has also signed a contract with Babcock to research a land-based submarine propulsion test facility and a ''Future Submarine Industry Skills Plan'' is being prepared.
While Defence has acknowledged the European vessels offer proven designs and shorter delivery times than an Australian-designed submarine, the concern is they are too small to meet Australia's broad needs as outlined in the 2009 white paper.
The ''supersized'' HDW Type 216 may change that. It is more than twice the size of the three submarines that have just been commissioned by Indonesia.
Designated the Type 1400, the Indonesian boats will still be very capable. The first is expected to be in use by 2015 with the second scheduled for delivery in 2018.
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