Australia signs contract with Naval Group for 12 submarines

The submarines for the RAN will be based on the FN's Barracuda-class attack submarines.

After two years since selecting France's Naval Group, the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) has finally signed a Strategic Partnering Agreement (SPA) with the French naval shipbuilder.

French Defense Minister Florence Parly is confident that Naval Group will be able to deliver the submarines on time despite delays in delivering the Barracuda-class nuclear submarines to the French Navy.

Under the SPA, Naval Group will design and supply 12 new oceangoing attack submarines to the Royal Australian Navu (RAN) based on their Shortfin Barracuda design. This is a conventional-powered version of the French Navy's nuclear-powered Barracuda attack submarines.

The submarines are scheduled to be delivered starting the early 2030s, and will be completed in the 2050s.

Naval Group was selected over Japan's Kawasaki and Mitsubishi for a model based on the Soryu-class, and Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine.

Previous proposals were raised in Australia to change some of the submarines to be delivered at a later date to be nuclear powered, but no final decision has been made.



[1] The Times
[2] Deutsche Welle
[3] ABC News