A Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces diesel-electric submarine Soryu is seen in this undated handout photo released by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces. Reuters
Posted on 09/08/2014 7:23:18 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
CANBERRA, Australia—Australia is close to buying up to 10 submarines from Japan for as much as 20 billion Australian dollars (US$18.7 billion) in a move that would turn the north Asian country into a weapons exporter for the first time since World War II.
The deal, which senior defense officials said they expect to be signed this year, risks stoking regional tensions since it positions Tokyo as a major guarantor of Australia's security at a time when relations between China and some of its neighbors, including Japan, are strained.
A purchase of Japanese submarines also sits uncomfortably next to the Australian government's pre-election pledge last year to build a new fleet at home to help support the nation's struggling ship builders. On Monday, Australia's prime minister, Tony Abbott, said his government wanted to support the manufacturing industry, but not at the expense of national security.
"The most important thing is to get the best and most capable submarines at a reasonable price to the Australian taxpayer," he told reporters. "We should make decisions based on defense requirements, not on the basis of industry policy."
Toru Hotchi, director of the equipment-policy division at Japan's Defense Ministry, said on Monday, "Since Japan and Australia have reached an agreement concerning the transfer of defense equipment and technology in July, we are cooperating in various aspects." He declined to say whether that included submarines.
Australia sees a submarine fleet as necessary to protect the country's vast maritime borders, as well as to defend sea lanes vital for its raw-materials exports, and to patrol some of the world's largest offshore oil-and-gas projects.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
A Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces diesel-electric submarine Soryu is seen in this undated handout photo released by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces. Reuters
To deter the Chinese Dragon!
I’ve been saying it for a while. IMO the South Pacific and the orient in general is where our defense resources need to be shifted to. China is trying to create a regional hegemony and our allies there are looking to us for help. I think this is a good move as our allies are all cooperating more closely with one another and with our leadership can be an effective defense against Chinese expansionism.
He said the day would eventually come that China and all the other third world sh*tholes in the region would greedily eye Australia's wide open spaces, America would elect an even bigger idiot than Bill Clinton as president and Australia would have no better choice than strengthening an alliance with Japan to provide for mutual security needs.
Why doesn’t Australia build its own submarines?
Because building them takes billions of dollars of R&D, and billions more in shipyard refit... before you can build a single one.
Look up “Collins Class submarine” and you will get your answer.
The Australians built some crappy boats and the Japanese boats are extremely good.
We can’t even protect our borders let alone lead anybody else.
In two years, a recall on the faulty ignition switches...
A look at the map reveals why the Australians would be wise to get it on their agenda.
They’d be better off buying Virginia class boats. Nuclear subs have the range Australia needs.
The Australian navy had struggled to retain personnel on its existing Collins class submarines, which had crew complement of about 50 personnel. The Soryus have a complement of about the same size. The Virginias in the USN need about 120 personnel. The RAN will need to ramp its budget significantly to train those many personnel.
Then there’s the issue of maintenance costs, repair and overhaul facilities in Australia, which are most likely not meant for larger nuclear vessels.
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