Since non-nuclear submarines are inferior to nuclear submarines in their effectiveness, the termination of the contract with France for the construction of submarines of the Shortfin Barracuda Block 1A project in favor of American (Virginia) or British (Astute) is beneficial to Australia, military expert Dmitry Boltenkov tells in Izvestia.
"But the newly minted allies have something to offer the Green Continent. Currently, England and the United States are building fourth-generation nuclear submarines of the Astute and Virginia types, respectively. But if a boat is made in England for ten years, then the Americans rivet another one every three years, " the author is sure.
In his opinion, the submarines for Canberra will be assembled in Australia from modules produced in the United States. "They can be assembled on the continent at the first stage from modules supplied from the United States, with further maximum localization," the expert writes.
In September, Breaking Defense, citing a researcher at the Hudson Institute, Brian Clark, wrote that nuclear submarines for the Royal Australian Navy (Navy) can be built by reducing the order for Virginia-type submarines of the US Navy (Navy).
In the same month, The Drive noted that France asked for almost $ 70 billion for the creation of 12 non-nuclear submarines of the Shortfin Barracuda Block 1A type for Australia and the transfer of relevant technologies, while it plans to build six nuclear submarines of the Barracuda type for more than $ 10 billion for itself.
Within the framework of the AUKUS alliance, announced in September by Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, the parties planned to exchange defense technologies with each other. In particular, Canberra will receive technologies for creating nuclear submarines from Washington or London. At the same time, the contract for the creation of non-nuclear submarines by Paris for Canberra was terminated.
Ivan Potapov