Australia - Adelaide favoured for submarines, warship projects

The Australian Federal Government has given a solid indication the nation's next-generation submarines will be designed and built in Adelaide and is planning a new warship project to ensure that skills are retained here in the interim.

Despite a $214 million study of four options for the highly lucrative submarine project, it is understood the Government wants the 12 non-nuclear vessels to be an evolved Collins Class boat dubbed "Son of Collins" or a new sub designed and built at Techport in Osborne.

The four options will be shaved to two evolved Collins and a brand new design sometime next year.

To prove that the hard lessons of the troubled Collins project including excessive noise, mechanical and combat systems problems have been learnt, a major land-based "test bed" facility will be built in Adelaide.

The test bed will cost hundreds of millions of dollars and generate hundreds of hi-tech jobs.

Next year's Defence white paper will include a skills plan and an interim warship (a fourth destroyer or new frigates) in Adelaide to ensure that skills are not lost before the submarine build begins in earnest after 2020.

The 12 attack subs will cost more than $30 billion under the nation's biggest-ever defence project, creating thousands of jobs and work for hundreds of local companies. The boats will significantly boost Australia's strike capability, weigh more than 4000 tonnes and carry a crew of up to 60.

Their US-made combat system will use advanced torpedoes and long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles and be equipped with the latest electronic eavesdropping, sonar and communications equipment.

Japanese Soryu Class subs are of a similar size to the planned new Aussie boat.

Head of the new submarine project office Rear Admiral Rowan Moffitt and chief defence scientist Dr Alexander Zelinsky travelled to Japan earlier this year to examine the Soryu's propulsion technology.

Defence Materiel Minister Jason Clare said in a speech this month he wanted to create an industry around the subs that lasted 100 years.

"It will take decades to build 12 submarines, and by the time the last is built the first will need to be replaced. It will create an industry that could last for a century or more," he said.