Page 19 - Australian Defence Magazine Dec-Jan 2023

DECEMBER 2022-JANUARY 2023 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
DEFENCE BUSINESS SIA CONFERENCE 19
pathway to deliver at least eight nuclear-powered subma- rines for Australia.
A defence task force now charting that pathway will re- port in first quarter, most likely March. In practice that means a choice between a US design, probably the in-ser- vice Virginia-class, or the UK Astute-class.
The plan is to build in South Australia, though the reactor would be sourced abroad. At this stage, neither the US or UK have the surplus capacity to produce boats for Australia in their existing yards.
There’s another possibility: the US SSN(X) Next Gen- eration Attack Submarine with which the US Navy plans to replace the Virginia Boats from around 2043.
The US Navy started preliminary work in 2016 and plans to finalise analysis of design requirements by 2024, beginning construction in 2034. SSN(X) will be faster, stealthier, carry more weapons and also likely cost more.
HEU VERSUS LEU REACTORS
Former Navy officer Chris Skinner said one consideration not yet finalised was whether SSN(X) will be powered by low enriched uranium (LEU) or highly enriched uranium (HEU). Both Virginia and Astute reactors use HEU, while French nuclear boats use LEU.
The advantage of HEU is that the re- actor is smaller and never needs refuel- ling, whereas LEU’s advantage is that it cannot ever be made into nuclear weap- ons, avoiding proliferation concerns.
Regardless, Skinner said there was a vocal minority in the Australian polity who would oppose Australian nuclear subs.
“We may still be glad of an option that includes low enriched uranium fuel,” he said.
“THEY (THE US) ARE STRUGGLING TO GET BEYOND THAT TWO BOATS (PRODUCED) PER YEAR BECAUSE THEY ONLY HAVE THE TWO SHIPYARDS”
DEFENCE
“Nuclear submarines do offer an impactful power projec- tion; they not only mitigate threats to our supply chain, threats to the lifeblood of the Australian continent, they can also rep- resent risk to any potential adversary’s supply chain,” he said.
“Nuclear powered submarines represent a truly unique lethal power project capability that forms that question mark in the mind of any potential adversary.”
VADM Hammond said some commentators suggested technological advances meant the oceans of the future would become transparent to modern sensors, negating the stealth advantage of submarines, but he said the stealth capabilities of submarines had continued to improve.
“I have complete confidence that the strategic relevance of submarines and their relative advantage against compet- ing technologies will be sustained for decades,” he asserted.
THE AUKUS FACTOR
Under the AUKUS agreement announced in September 2021, the partners will focus on identifying the optimal
“The SSN(X) project should be given
very close and preferred attention. There are a number of benefits to both the US and Australia.
“They (the US) are struggling to get beyond that two boats (produced) per year because they only have the two shipyards. They would dearly love to have a third shipyard open in Osborne that would relieve some of that pressure.”
However, the new submarines are a long way off and much work will need to be done ahead of that.
WORKFORCE CHALLENGES
Professor Brian Schmidt, vice-chancellor of the Austra- lian National University in Canberra, said nuclear pow- ered submarines were some of the most complex machines humans had ever developed.
“Bringing a fleet into service is going to be one of the biggest training and workforce development challenges Australia has ever faced,” he said.
ABOVE LEFT: Five of the RAN’s six Collins-class submarines alongside Diamantina Pier at Fleet Base West