‘No pressure for joint sub. study’

Press, 28 August 1984, Page 24

‘No pressure for joint sub. study’

PA Wellington New Zealand is under no pressure from Australia to join in a study on submarine hull design and equipment configuration, says the Minister of Defence, Mr O’Flynn. Commenting on a report that New Zealand was under such pressure, Mr O’Flynn said that the possibility of replacing New Zealand frigates by a submarine force in the 1990 s was being investigated, but no commitment had been made. The Royal Australian Navy was now completing an evaluation of possible replacement vessels for its fleet of Oberon class submarines. “Australian defence authorities have yet to

study an Evaluation Board’s report,” Mr O’Flynn said. The next step would be a project definition study, he said. The study would take about two years and would provide the basis for choosing final hull design and equipment configuration for the new submarine. “Until our defence authorities have had an opportunity to examine the Evaluation Board’s report themselves, New Zealand cannot decide whether to participate in the Australian project definition study,” Mr O’Flynn said. “However, I must stress again that the Government is not committed in any way to the submarine replacement option for the Navy’s frigates at present.”