Media Release – 27 September 2017
POSITIVE SUBMARINE PLAN IS IN PLACE
Public statement by the President of the Submarine Institute of Australia (SIA), Mr Mark Sander:
“Australia has a positive plan in place for the Future Submarine Program.
“A competent and professional designer partner and combat systems integrator have been selected by the Australian Government.
“The program is backed by a professional organisational structure within the Department of Defence and both the Minister for Defence Industry and the Shadow Minister for Defence, among many others, have publicly supported the significant financial investment in submarine capability.
“While effective management of the program will continue to be important, Defence understands the need and the challenge to ensure there will not be a gap in Australia’s submarine capability during the transition from the Collins-class submarines to the future submarines.
“As for suggestions about different submarine designs, there is no ‘off-the-shelf’ design which meets Australia’s requirements and any modification of an existing submarine platform will, in itself, incur unacceptable risk.”
