If you doubt whether you need our submarines, then we are coming to you
Washington's recent decision to send 6 aircraft carriers to the Asia-Pacific zone is not some unexpected move in its growing confrontation with China. In essence, this is another step to increase pressure on the main enemy of the United States in the struggle for world leadership. The United States set out to undermine China's economic power at all costs, slow down its dynamic development in the field of electronics, cybernetics, nuclear research, strengthening its defense capabilities, etc.
Intensifying tensions and the threat of instability best contribute to capital flight from the Asia-Pacific region. The Taiwan issue, the growth of North Korea's missile ambitions, the aggravation of territorial disputes between the countries of Oceania (East Timor, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and others), the intensification of the activities of terrorist organizations, and the increase in tension in interstate relations cannot but worry the business circles of investor countries when considering the prospects of your business in the Asia-Pacific region.
To strengthen their influence in this strategically important region of the planet, the Anglo-Saxons, led by the United States, created a coalition in 2021 consisting of: USA - Great Britain - Australia. The new block was called AUCUS. Its goal is clear and understandable: the creation of a military structure to fight the PRC and its growing influence on the Asia-Pacific countries.
But the Americans would not be Yankees if they fought their opponents with their own hands. No, this is not in the spirit of Uncle Sam. Give him assistants, preferably among the aborigines, so that he does not have to go far for manpower, but use, so to speak, local resources.
And now, the Americans, putting together a coalition against China, carefully invited the Australians into it, since they, being a dominion of the British Crown, did not really resist.
Considering that the Celestial Empire is very dependent on export-import transactions, mainly carried out by sea, it would be logical to believe that this is where the Achilles heel of the Chinese economy lies. Currently, the main threat to Chinese trade is transit through the Strait of Malacca. Navigation along it for Beijing could be closed at any time in the event of a conflict with the United States.
The Chinese understand this very well. Therefore, they are building their navy at an unprecedented pace. The completion of the third aircraft carrier afloat is rapidly being completed, and new aircraft are being created for it. However, in underwater shipbuilding, the Chinese still have a serious lag behind their potential enemy. Pentagon strategists decided to take advantage of this, knowing that Australia had long planned to rearm its submarine fleet. Canberra even held a competition for the construction of new submarines, which, as we all remember well, was won by a French company.
But the American “partners” decided to provide allied assistance to their younger brothers in the Anglo-Saxon coalition and offered their services, which they could not refuse. Moreover, this was done in such a way that the Australian government agreed to terminate the contract previously concluded with the French, even to the detriment of its business reputation.
Обращаясь к stories issue, it should be noted that the construction of new generation attack submarines (Project SEA 1000) was determined by defense spending back in 2016. At the same time, the new submarines had to be superior to the existing ones in all major performance characteristics.
Also in the White Paper 2016, it was planned to modernize 6 Collins-class submarines in service with the Australian Navy. Collins-class submarines are very good warships. This is an ocean-going submarine, the total displacement of which is 3 tons, length - 400 m, width - 78 m, diving depth reaches 8 m, maximum underwater speed - 300 knots, endurance - 21 days, cruising range - 50 miles on the surface position and 11 miles - by economical underwater.
Collins-class submarine at sea
According to the specified technical characteristics, the new boat had to have a displacement of at least 4 tons, with an air-independent power plant, the ability to strike ground, surface and underwater targets, and also be suitable for carrying out operations using autonomous underwater vehicles. With new means of detecting and countering the enemy, with increased underwater stealth and increased underwater travel.
With this set of requirements, a competition for the design and construction of a new submarine was announced in 2015. The French company Naval Group, the Japanese Mitsubishi/Kawasaki and the German Thyssen-Krupp Marine Systems took part in the competition and presented their projects and conditions for their implementation to the Australians for consideration.
In 2016, a competition was held, which was won by a French company with the Shortfin Barracuda project in a non-nuclear design. In fact, it was a French Suffren-type submarine with a VNEU (closed-cycle steam-gas turbine) with a displacement of 4 tons, and a BYG-700 combat control system (SBU) jointly produced with the United States. It was planned to purchase 1 hulls of the new non-submarine submarine. At the same time, the cost of development and construction of the entire series was estimated at $12 billion.
Barracuda-type submarine heading to base
The Americans and British were not going to give such a fat piece of the pie to the French. A tough behind-the-scenes struggle between financial and industrial groups began, putting pressure on the Australian leadership, which eventually had to abandon the French project in favor of the United States. The Americans offered Canberra to build a Virginia-class submarine in an export version. True, the number is smaller, only eight, instead of 12 units.
Virginia-class submarine on the surface
The Americans also promised to equip new Australian submarines with Tomahawk sea-launched cruise missiles (SLCMs) with a conventional warhead. At the same time, the United States pledged to transfer technology for constructing submarines to the Australians with the possibility of their assembly at a new shipyard in Adelaide. As part of the FMS (Foreign Military Sales) program, the Americans also pledged to supply new equipment to Australian shipyards for the construction of these submarines.
After the Americans fulfill their obligations, it is expected that the Australian Navy will become the seventh in the list of owners of nuclear-powered submarines.
But, as is usually the case, the natives do not have enough money for such a large-scale project. Therefore, to reduce costs, the option of leasing future submarines instead of purchasing them is being considered. The international experience of leasing submarines from the Russian Federation to India shows this possibility. At the same time, new crews learn experience in operating ships with nuclear power plants, skills in handling automation and telemechanics systems of complex power systems, features of implementing radiation safety regimes, and eliminating incidents with auxiliary equipment of nuclear power plants.
But the English partners also did not want to stay without their share of the pie. It is assumed that nuclear power plants for Australian submarines will be supplied by Rolls-Royce. These nuclear power plants will be the same as those on the British Navy's Dreadnought-class SSBNs. But operating a nuclear power plant is new and dangerous. Additional expenses will be required to train specialists to maintain nuclear power plants and ensure the radiation safety regime on the ship and at the base. The agreement of the parties provides for the training of about 2027 thousand people in the USA and Great Britain until 2 (in the required scientific, engineering and technical specialties).
And before Canberra acquires its own submarines, starting in 2027, it is planned to deploy 4 American Virginia-class submarines and one British Astute-class submarine on a rotational basis at Stirling Naval Base (Perth). By the same date, it is planned to complete the additional equipment of the berth and coastal infrastructure of the submarine’s basing point.
The Collins-class submarines currently in service with the Australian Navy are scheduled to be decommissioned by 2038–2039. They should be replaced by 3 Virginia-class submarines built (or transferred after a major overhaul). The possibility of supplying an additional 2 boats of this type is also being considered.
Taking into account the requests of the command of the Australian Navy, it is planned to begin the construction of promising Aucus-class submarines in the United Kingdom, the technical appearance of which has not yet been determined. It is expected that the first hull will be built at the British shipyard of the BAE Systems company in Barrow-Furness, and subsequent ones at the facilities of Australian enterprises in Adelaide.
In total, by 2060, the Australian Navy intends to have 8 new type submarines in its fleet. And the submarines leased and previously built under the Virginia project will be withdrawn from the Navy and transferred to the owner for further disposal.
A logical question arises: why is such increased attention in AUCUS paid to the rearmament of the Australian fleet with nuclear submarines?
It seems to me that the whole point is that it is the submarines armed with cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, and heavy torpedoes that are best able to cope with the task of blockade operations in the shipping zone of the Strait of Malacca. It would not be superfluous to recall that it was the prevention (embargo) of oil tankers going to Japanese ports that was the trigger for the start of large-scale hostilities in the Pacific Ocean. Japan did not wait for economic strangulation and launched a preemptive strike on the American fleet at Pearl Harbor. The great war began in the Pacific Ocean.
Maybe the Yankees, who love repeating successful feints, remembered history and are trying to provoke Chairman Xi according to the Japanese version of 80 years ago. However, we may get a very specific answer to this very soon. It seems that, at the instigation of the American administration, everything is heading towards this.
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