Posted on 05/29/2016 10:33:49 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
It was the smallest of sounds, too soft for human ears but deemed loud enough to potentially doom an Australian submarine.
Two weeks ago, behind closed doors in a shipyard in the German port of Kiel, the secrets behind Australias $150 billion submarine decision were finally revealed. It was a moment that left the Germans stunned. They were told for the first time that they had lost the bid because their proposed Australian submarine had an unacceptable level of radiated noise.
In the world of submarines, noise equals potential detection and death, but when the Germans pressed the Australian officials in the room that day to explain further they were rebuffed. That information was classified, the Australians told them.
In a short and testy exchange, the truth became clear France had won the largest defence contract in the nations history because it had best achieved the sound of silence. As a spying platform against China, and in the case of war, the proposed French submarine was seen to be more stealthy than those proposed by Germany or Japan.
But this is a $150bn judgment call the construction phase is worth $50bn, with the sustainability of the submarines running to an extra $100bn over the life of the vessels that the Germans fiercely contest, at least in private. It is also one that threatens to undermine relations with Berlin in the same way as the rejection of Japans bid has harmed Canberras ties with Tokyo.
The confidential debriefing for the failed German submarine bid took place inauspiciously on Friday the 13th this month, inside the historic Kiel shipyards.
(Excerpt) Read more at theaustralian.com.au ...
Gotcha
Too small for the Aussie navy.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.