Finally, Some Sense on the Submarine Fiasco by James Reed

A group of concerned businessmen, including Dick Smith, put a full-page advertisement in The Australian (September 13, 2016) condemning Turnbull’s “Submarine Fiasco.”

The bottom line: $50 billion will be spent for 2,800 jobs. This is an absurd cost, especially since at present there is not one operational French Barracuda submarine in service. The first version, yet to be launched, is in a ship yard and is nuclear not diesel. The government wants to retrofit and re-design a nuclear sub to be diesel, which has never been done. Good luck with that one, because we will need it.

The business group notes that by the time the diesel subs are built, all potential enemies will have far superior nuclear subs and “(p)utting a diesel piston submarine against a nuclear one is like putting a piston/propeller fighter up against a modern jet. We will be condemning our sailors to their graves.” Is that their plan?

The submarine decision is so utterly stupid that I wonder if it will actually eventuate. There has been an announcement, but no design drawn up or contract signed. Was it all just election ploy or is the government really that stupid?