Budget: Movement on Future Sub thanks to funding | ADM June 2012

The Government will provide $214 million for the next stage of the Future Submarine Project, announced Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Minister for Defence Stephen Smith and Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare the week before the release of the budget.

This funding will go towards further detailed studies and analysis to inform the Government’s decision on the design of Australia’s next submarine.

The Government is conducting a Review into the Sustainment of Australia’s Collins Class submarines, led by John Coles. The Coles Review involves a detailed examination of complex engineering issues associated with submarine sustainment and support from international experts and companies in this field.

The Government is considering four broad options for the Future Submarines:

1 An existing submarine design available off-theshelf, modified only to meet Australia’s regulatory requirements;

2 An existing off-the-shelf design modified to in corporate Australia’s specific requirements, including in relation to combat systems and weapons;

3 An evolved design that enhances the capabilities of existing off-theshelf designs, including the Collins Class; and

4 An entirely new developmental submarine.

The Government has ruled out the option of a nuclear submarine.

 

Indicative Timeline for the Future Submarines
2012: The Government will make a decision on design and test facilities including the Land Based Test Site and will receive the Future Submarine Industry Skills Plan. 

2013: The Government will receive the results of the work announced today and will make a decision on the combat systems, torpedos, sensors and other weapons systems.

2013/2014: On current planning First Pass approval is scheduled for late 2013/early 2014.

2017: On current planning Second Pass approval is scheduled for around 2017 with construction expected to begin following Second Pass.

The funding announced today will inform the Government’s final decision on the design and workforce requirements for the Future Submarine, and identify and address risks in this complex project.

These studies are in addition to the Government’s announcement in December that it had approved the release of Requests for Information to three overseas submarine designers (DCNS, HDW and Navantia), and that Defence had entered into a contract with Babcock for a study into a land-based propulsion site.

The studies announced today will be conducted across three broad areas:

• Design studies;

• Scientific and technological studies; and

• Future Submarine Industry Skills Plan.

Design studies

Options for the Future Submarine range from a proven fully Military Off The Shelf design through to a completely new submarine. All options are being considered, other than nuclear propulsion, which the Government has ruled out.

These studies will be undertaken across four areas:

1 Military off the shelf design studies. These studies will be undertaken with three European ship building companies:

• DCNS (France), designer of the Scorpene

• HDW (Germany), designer of the Type 212 and Type 214 submarines

• Navantia (Spain), designer of the S-80 submarine

These studies will help inform the Government on the viability of a military off the shelf design and what modifications would be required to meet specific Australian conditions.

2 Initial design studies for an updated Collins Class submarine. The Government will engage Swedish ship designer and builder Kockums to undertake initial design studies for an updated Collins Class submarine. The updated design will build on the high level of capabilities of the existing Collins Class submarine design, address challenges and obsolescence issues and provide capability enhancements.

3 Analysis of options. An expert submarine design firm will be engaged to conduct cost and capability trade-off analysis of all options. These studies will model the technical and performance characteristics of different submarine designs against capability and cost considerations.

4 Capability modelling by the US. At the Australia-US Ministerial (AUSMIN) consultations in Melbourne in November 2010, Australia and the US agreed that Australian-US cooperation on submarine systems was strategically important for both countries.

The high level of submarine interoperability between Australia and the US and technical cooperation will extend into Future Submarine acquisition program. US submarine companies Systems Performance and Analysis and Electric Boat will undertake capability modelling under a Foreign Military Sales case. These companies will investigate the capability of an off the shelf option as well as an evolved Collins option.

Scientific and technological studies

In addition to these deign studies, scientific and technological studies will be conducted primarily by the Defence Science and Technology Organisation. They will assist the development of requirements and provide technical advice to Government aimed at reducing risk in critical areas for the project.

These studies will cover areas including:

• Propulsion and Energy Storage;

• Signatures and stealth performance;

• Combat systems; and

• Hydrodynamics, propellers and pumpjets.

The scientific studies undertaken will deliver a range of reports and recommendations on the development of Future Submarine helping to provide better options to the Government for decision.