Collins class submarine replacement program might not be approved

A DEFENCE wish list for a $20 billion submarine fleet has virtually no chance of making it past the Government's razorgang. Defence wants to buy 12 new submarines when the current fleet of six Collins boats retires after 2020. Thatwould value the new vessels at about $2 billion each and make them the most expensive conventional submarines inhistory.However, sources have told the Herald Sun the global financial crisis and a lack of crew numbers for the current fleetmeans the plan will run aground. Just three of the six Collins boats are deployable due to the lack of qualified orwilling crew members.

Navy chief Vice-Admiral Russ Crane yesterday confirmed he could man only three subs withthe navy's 420 qualified submariners. He also revealed plans to rotate crews between boats rather than attach them toindividual 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 Governmentfor final approval as part of the 2009 budget process. Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon said even large financialbonuses were not enough to attract crew.

"We've initiated a range of bonuses - up to the $60,000 annually - in orderto keep those much-needed people," he said. The Opposition has supported the project but questioned the magnitudeof the plan."The Opposition would be very willing to support a new generation of world-class, conventionally poweredsubmarines," defence spokesman Senator David Johnston said. A survey of submarine crews has uncovered seriousmorale problems on board subs HMAS Waller and HMAS Rankin.It says 37 per cent of Waller's crew believe their job is meaningless.

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