Antinuclear

Is Australina government secretly planning nuclear submarines?

Dick Smith questions submarine project, says plans are ‘ludicrous’ and ‘we’re being conned’ 891 ABC Adelaide, 14 Sept 16

French company DCNS won the $50 billion contract to build Australia’s next fleet of 12 submarines in Adelaide, which will replace the current Collins Class fleet. The company won the contract to build a modified version of its nuclear submarine, called the Shortfin Barracuda.

The Australian Government stipulated that the winning contract would need to use conventional power, ruling out larger, nuclear-powered submarines. The lead up to the submarine contract has involved election promises, business and political campaigns and lots of speculation.

Mr Smith said the re-designed version of the submarine would have to be converted to a diesel engine.

But he told 891 ABC Adelaide that was a ludicrous plan and he believed it would never happen.

“So the plan is for us to buy a nuclear submarine design and then convert it to a piston submarine,” he said. “Now no-one has ever done that in the world and in fact when I talk to submarine experts they say it is so ridiculous, so we’re being conned.”

Mr Smith said if the Government’s real agenda was to use nuclear technology, it should be up front about it……….

More details on subs project needed: Xenophon  South Australia Senator Nick Xenophon said more detail about the submarines project was needed…..Senator Xenophon said he was concerned about the lack of certainty surrounding the project. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-13/dick-smith-questions-submarines-project-over-nuclear-power/7837946

September 14, 2016 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics, secrets and lies, weapons and war