AUSTRALIA’S national defence was left dangerously exposed for five months between October 2009 and February 2010 when not a single Collins Class submarine was able to be put to sea.
Defence Minister David Johnston revealed the serious lapse in national security under the Labor Government at a submarine conference in Canberra today.
“We were in a very dire and a very dark place,’’ Senator Johnston said.
Submarines are the government’s most important tactical and strategic military assets and the minister assured his audience of submariners, bureaucrats and industry types that such a capability gap would never be allowed under his watch.
He also revealed that by December 2012 the fleet had recovered to 60 per cent availability and that it was now running at 90 per cent.
All at see ... HMAS Dechaineux was one of the navy’s Collins Class submarines unable to go to sea for five months. Source: Supplied
“We have also committed to ensure that work in Australia on the replacement of the current submarine fleet will be centred around the South Australian shipyards. As a Government we want to give Australian industry every chance of success,’’ he said.
“Industry must demonstrate an ongoing capacity to meet international benchmarks with respect to productivity, cost and schedule.’’
The minister also dismissed the previous government’s figure of 12 boats to replace the sixCollins Class vessels.
”It may well be that we have more than 12 submarines,’’ Senator Johnston said.
“What I am looking at is ... a long-term commitment out 20-30 years where we learn the lessons of submarine construction. Don’t think about numbers, think about a long-term enterprise.’’
He did not rule out the option of possibly buying submarines or submarine technology, such as air independent propulsion systems, from Japan which is the only country building the type of boat required by the Royal Australian Navy.
‘Dark place’ ... the inability of the Collins Class Submarine to go to see left Australian defence vulnerable. Source: News Limited
Discussions with the Japanese are well advanced, but Senator Johnston refused to elaborate saying they were “commercial in confidence’’.
Even if a decision is taken by mid-2015 a new class of submarine would be more than 15 years beyond that.
To that end the government will extend the life of the Collins fleet by an extra six years.
Senator Johnston said the government’s new Defence White Paper due next April would be about “money, funding and credibility’’ and would include a detailed timeline for the new submarines.
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