The sound of silence — why Germany lost its subs bid (Australia)

The Australian ^ | May 30, 2016 | Cameron Stewart

[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 Australia’s $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 nation’s 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 Japan’s bid has harmed Canberra’s 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.

[Ophiucus]

Gotcha

[sukhoi-30mki]

Too small for the Aussie navy.