Time running out for say in submarine planning

Press, 23 August 1984, Page 22

Time running out for say in submarine planning

NZPA staff correspondent Canberra If New Zealand still wants to have a say in the design of new submarines for its Navy and a role in building them, then it will need to make up its mind now, according to senior defence officials. The Australians are about to call contracts for what is known as the project definition stage of the multimillion dollar programme, which involves prospective contractors tendering for and designing the vessels and their systems. “New Zealand has been asked to say what it wants to do,” one official said. “We were expecting to hear from them some weeks ago, but the election there got in the way. "If New Zealand wants to have a say in what goes into the submarines, what they are to be able to do, and be in at the beginning for supplying some of the componentry, then now is the time for them to say.” If New Zealand decides to go ahead, however, it will also have to pick up its share of the bill and at this stage the cost is open-ended. Regardless of what the New Zealanders decide to do, the Australians are forging ahead with the proposal After two years of studying — a process that over the more recent stages has involved a lieutenant commander from the New Zealand Navy — the defence team working on the project has broad concepts from suppliers in five countries. British, French, Dutch, Swedish and two German companies have put up proposals to the Australians. So far the main parameters of the project are that the vessels are to be dieselpowered as opposed to nuclear — which rules out the United States as a supplier — they are to have' specific sonar capabilities and combat systems suitable to the warm and often shallow waters they are to

work in, and they are to be capable of long-range patrolling. The cost of each, including on-shore installations and training facilities, is estimated to come out at roughly ?Aust3oo million as opposed to a bill for up to ?Aust4oo million for a new frigate. The Australians are looking at up to six submarines to replace the half-dozen ageing Oberon vessels now in use, New Zealand has indicated it could be in for four more, and the Canadians are keeping a watching brief on developments with a view to also getting involved later. Delivery is expected about 1990. The Australian officials said that New Zealand would need to be looking atat least three submarines to allow for having one being serviced and at the same time keeping up adequate patrols.

Already most Australian states are putting in their bids to build the ships, and the South Australian Premier, Mr John Bannon, even broached the matter with New Zealand’s Trade Minister, Mr Moore, on a visit to the state. But while the submarine project is the most spectacular example of cooperation between Australian and New Zealand defence forces, one that is more likely to achieve positive results is a joint evaluation of new small arms. The project is the first joint venture between the two involving evaluation and manufacture or purchase of an item, as opposed to consultation before identical purchases. Two rifles are being considered — an Austrian weapon that is largely made of plastic, and a United States Colt that is predominantly metal or alloy. The officials said that if

the Austrian weapon was chosen, New Zealand couldbe in a position to make all of the plastic components ,and some of the metal items such as the trigger and breach, while the barrel would be made in Australia. New Zealand would be less involved in making the United States gun, while because of the relatively small numbers of machineguns required by both countries, that would probably be bought from its Belgian' manufacturer. The Australian machinegun requirements run only into the thousands while New Zealand is looking at only a few hundred, but the Australians are wanting at least 100,000 of the sAustsoo rifles. “Again it comes down to ■cost with the rifle, and it might be that New Zealand • will decide it can buy it cheaper on the world market,” said an official. “On the spot market the

price can come quite low and the question could be why pay a premium just for the luxury of making the gun yourself? “The other side of the coin is that by making it yourself you have security of supply,” Other areas of co-opera-tion include design and evaluation of a new armoured personnel carrier, new artillery, and a new helicopter. Australia’s Navy and Air Force want a new helicopter to replace the ageing Wessex and Mk I Iroquois, and the two contenders are the large United States-built Sikorsky, and a new British Westland which has yet to get off the drawing boards. The Australians are on the verge of making their decision, but New Zealand is considered to be looking at a different option to replace its Iroquois — the United States successor to the workhorse, the Hewie.