French firm DCNS release design of submarine it wants Australia to buy

The Australian ^ | JULY 15, 2015 | Brendan Nicholson

[sukhoi-30mki]

The French company, DCNS, has released details of its plans for the new submarine it wants to build for Australia.

It’s a 4000 tonne, conventionally powered design based on of its Barracuda nuclear powered attack submarine.

DCNS will call the Australia version the Shortfin Barracuda after the local species PPP of the ferocious fish.

DCNS says it’s “pre-concept design” is for the world’s most advanced conventional submarines.

France, Germany and Japan are competing for the contract to build up to 12 submarines for the Royal Australian Navy worth more than $20 billion.

DCNS Australia CEO Sean Costello said the new submarine would be over 90 metres long and would displace more than 4000 tonnes when dived.

“If selected the Shortfin Barracuda will remain in service until the 2060s,” he said.

“In that time it would be updated and upgraded with new technology developed in France and Australia.

“The technical evolution of the submarine will be enabled by a strategic level Government to Government agreement between France and Australia.

“DCNS is the only submarine design company in the world to have design competencies in nuclear and conventional submarines, safely delivering submarines ranging from 2000 tons to 14,300 tons to navies all around the world.”

The Abbott government is confronting the uneasy task of juggling the futures of several of its MPs in South Australia while choosing a new submarine fleet that may be vital to the defence of the nation for decades to come.

[sukhoi-30mki]

French firm DCNS's Shortfin Barracuda submarine design, which is wants to build for Australia.

Source: Supplied

[CondorFlight]

And why isn’t any USA firm attempting to build submarines and sell them abroad?

[thackney]

In 2001, the Bush administration promised Taiwan eight U.S.-built SSKs but the boats never materialized for several reasons.

A MND spokesman told Jane’s in October, “that Taiwan would continue to lobby the United States for assistance with a submarine purchase, although the absence of any U.S. experience in conventionally powered submarines of the size and class that Taiwan is seeking suggests it is unlikely to get much in the way of support.”

SSKs serve best as a costal defense platform and the U.S. submarine force almost exclusively operates far from American shores.

With rare exception, the U.S. naval submarine industrial base has built only nuclear submarines (SSN) since the 1960s. USNI News also understands there are elements in the U.S. Navy reluctant to stray from the SSN model.

http://news.usni.org/2015/01/02/taiwan-kicks-off-domestic-attack-sub-program

[jjotto]

Good question.

Maybe because US submarines are nuclear and buyers prefer the new diesel-electrics?

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Maybe because US submarines are nuclear and buyers prefer the new diesel-electrics?

Probably so. Aren't the French vehemently anti-nuclear?

[jjotto]

French seem less anti-nuke than Americans. The issue with nuke submarines is cost, I think. US wants big, long distance deepwater subs. Most buyers seem to want smaller, stealthier, (and cheaper) subs for more defensive use.

Just casual observations by me. There are FReepers who really know this stuff.

[naturalman1975]

Yes, the issue is the engine plants. There’s too much anti-nuclear sentiment in Australia for nuclear boats to be an option. It’s getting better but it’s hard enough convincing the left hand side of Parliament we even need to spend money on conventional submarines.

[A Formerly Proud Canadian]

All French Navy subs are nuclear, but I don’t believe they sell nuke powered vessels to other countries, even allies.

[dfwgator]

Aren't the French vehemently anti-nuclear?

Tell that to Greenpeace.

[tanknetter]

The USN buys subs for global power projection. Which require nuke power.

Subs designed for coastal, local or at most regional ops doen’t really benefit from a nuke plant. Particularly with modern technogy like air independent propulsion and the like that allow conventional subs to stay submerged much longer.

[sukhoi-30mki]

France is providing assistance to Brazil for its N-sub project, which is a derivative of the DCNS Scorpene that Brazil has purchased. There have been rumours of French tech/sensors for India’s N-sub program.