Aussie: Lista Dei Desideri Sottomarina...

[enrr]

AUSTRALIA

 

'No chance' $20bn submarine wish list

will be passed by Government

 

A DEFENCE wish list for a $20 billion submarine fleet has virtually no chance of making it past the Government's razor

gang. Defence wants to buy 12 new submarines when the current fleet of six Collins boats retires after 2020. That

would value the new vessels at about $2 billion each and make them the most expensive conventional submarines in

history.

However, sources have told the Herald Sun the global financial crisis and a lack of crew numbers for the current fleet

means the plan will run aground. Just three of the six Collins boats are deployable due to the lack of qualified or

willing crew members. Navy chief Vice-Admiral Russ Crane yesterday confirmed he could man only three subs with

the navy's 420 qualified submariners. He also revealed plans to rotate crews between boats rather than attach them to

individual vessels for a tour of duty.

According to insiders, the wish list will face major hurdles from Finance and Treasury when it goes to the Government

for final approval as part of the 2009 budget process. Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon said even large financial

bonuses were not enough to attract crew. "We've initiated a range of bonuses - up to the $60,000 annually - in order

to keep those much-needed people," he said. The Opposition has supported the project but questioned the magnitude

of the plan.

"The Opposition would be very willing to support a new generation of world-class, conventionally powered

submarines," defence spokesman Senator David Johnston said. A survey of submarine crews has uncovered serious

morale problems on board subs HMAS Waller and HMAS Rankin.

It says 37 per cent of Waller's crew believe their job is meaningless.

 

Source : Heraldsun

[Totiano*]

non c' luogo al mondo in cui non si parli di crisi. però l'articolo è interessante anche per un'altro motivo: in australia stanno pensando a un nuovo battello con un anticipo di 10 anni. ma non lo pensano in singolo bensi in grande serie.e uno stanziamento di fondi cosi grande penso, personalmente, che abbia un motivo: progettarlo e costruirlo in proprio.