Attack-class submarine

This article a about a specific class of submarines. For the general class of attack submarines see Attack submarine.

Attack-class submarine
Class overview
BuildersNaval Group
Operators Royal Australian Navy
Preceded byCollins class
Succeeded bySSN-AUKUS class
CostA$89.7 billion (2020)[1][2] for twelve units + TOT (est.)
Planned12
Cancelled12
General characteristics
TypeDiesel-electric attack submarine
Displacement4,500 t surfaced[3]
Length97 m (318 ft 3 in)[3]
Beam8.8 m (28 ft 10 in)[3]
Installed powerDiesel electric with lead acid batteries
PropulsionPump-jet[3]
SpeedIn excess of 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)[3]
Range18,000 nmi (33,000 km; 21,000 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced[3]
Endurance80 days[3]
Complement60[3]
Sensors and
processing systems		AN/BYG-1 combat system[4]
Armament
  • 8 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes
  • 28 torpedoes:
  • Mark 48 MOD 7 heavyweight torpedo, Harpoon anti-ship missiles or Mk III Stonefish mines[4]

The Attack-class submarine was a planned class of French-designed submarines for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), expected to enter service in the early 2030s with construction extending until 2050.[4] The project, which would have replaced the Collins-class submarines, began in 2007 as the Future Submarine program. In 2020 it was estimated to cost A$90 billion and would have been the largest and most complex defence acquisition project in Australian history.

Australia's unique operating environment (including significant variations in ocean climate and conditions) and rejection of nuclear marine propulsion had led it to operate the Collins-class, the world's largest diesel-electric submarines, capable of transiting the long distances from HMAS Stirling to their deployment areas. In the early phases of the project, four design options were identified: purchase a military off-the-shelf (MOTS) design, modify a MOTS design for Australian conditions, design an evolution of the Collins class, or create a new design.

In 2009, the Australian Government's defence white paper announced that a new class of twelve submarines would be built.[5] The selected design was to be built at the ASC Pty Ltd shipyard in South Australia, but, if a company other than ASC was selected to build the submarines, they would be granted access to the government-owned facility. Early plans suggested the first submarine would be completed before 2025. However, there were significant delays in the project and by the end of 2014, operational capabilities had still not been defined. In February 2015 the Abbott government announced a competitive evaluation process between competing Japanese, French, and German designs. On 26 April 2016, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced the Shortfin Barracuda, a conventionally-powered variant of the Barracuda-class nuclear submarine by French firm DCNS (now Naval Group), as the winner.[6]

On 16 September 2021, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the cancellation of the contract with Naval Group and the creation of AUKUS, a trilateral security pact between the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, that will help Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines:[7][8] the SSN-AUKUS, expected to enter service in the early 2040s.[9]

  1. ^ "Australia signs $50 billion submarine contract with France after two-year squabble". Reuters. 11 February 2019.
  2. ^ "Australia to spend $90B for 12 Attack-class Submarines". Defense World. 4 May 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Cite error: The named reference NavynewsMay16 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b c Department of Defence, 2016 Defence White Paper, pp. 91–92
  5. ^ 2009 defence white paper, p. 70.
  6. ^ "Australian submarines to be built in Adelaide after French company DCNS wins $50b contract". ABC News. 26 April 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  7. ^ Prime Minister; Minister for Defence; Minister for Foreign Affairs; Minister for Women (16 September 2021). "Australia to pursue Nuclear-powered Submarines through new Trilateral Enhanced Security Partnership". Prime Minister of Australia (Press release). Archived from the original on 27 September 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2021. This article contains quotations from this source, which is available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence.
  8. ^ Maiden, Samantha (16 September 2021). "Australia confirms landmark nuclear submarine deal and it's 'China's worst nightmare'". News.com.au. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  9. ^ Galloway, Anthony (14 March 2023). "Eight submarines, three decades, up to $368 billion: Australia's historic AUKUS plan at a glance". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 15 March 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2023.