BFF-03 Australia signs massive sub deal with French firm

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AUSTRALIA-DEFENCE-SUBMARINE

Australia signs massive sub deal with French firm

CANBERRA, Feb 11, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Australia formally signed a $50 billion
contract with France to build 12 state of the art submarines Monday, a signal
of the country’s willingness to project power across the Pacific.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison hailed the “very audacious plan” at a
ceremony in Canberra as “part of Australia’s biggest ever peace-time
investment in defence”.

The contract for 12 attack-class submarines is with France’s Naval Group,
a consortium with state backing, and has been years in the making.

It is Australia’s largest ever defence procurement project and the largest
ever foreign sales deal by French shipbuilder Naval Group.

The first submarine is expected to be finished in the early 2030s.

Critics say that is too late: the waters to Australia’s north and east are
the scene of an intense struggle between the United States, China and
regional powers, who are all vying for influence.

Beijing has made territorial claims to much of the South China Sea — a
marine thoroughfare that is vital to maintain the supply of ores, minerals
and crude that fuel the Chinese economy.

Washington fears that China is becoming increasingly assertive over its
territorial claims to display its dominance over smaller Asian nations and
cement its role as the prime regional power.

Australian military analysts hope the subs will allow the country to
maintain a credible deterrent against possible hostile actions.

Visiting French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly signed the agreement
for Paris.

The ceremony took place in the shadow of a memorial to US forces in front
of the Australian defence offices in Canberra.

“It takes a lot of confidence for Australia to bet on France and a lot of
confidence for France to share with Australia the capability that is so close
to the core of our sovereignty and our strategic autonomy and a result of
immense investment over decades,” Parly said.

Under the Strategic Partnership Agreement, 12 conventionally powered
submarines derived from the Naval Group Barracuda nuclear design will be
constructed in a new shipyard in South Australia.

BSS/AFP/MSY/0846 hrs