Tony Abbott 'Ridiculed' Sweden's Capability To Build Australia's Next-Gen Submarines; Only Japan, France and Germany In Shortlist

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has rejected the idea of a submarine fleet made in Sweden and called it “ridiculous.” The opposition had suggested that Sweden should have been invited to bid for Australia’s submarine project. However, Mr Abbott said Labour wanted Australia to have a “1960s submarine” in reference to Sweden’s capacity to build submarines.

The prime minister claimed that Sweden only refurbishes ageing submarines in the last 20 years. Mr Abbott said Sweden has not recently designed or built new submarines, The Guardian reports. The Australian government has formally sent an invitation to Japan, France and Germany to enter the competitive tender to build Australia’s next fleet of submarines. Mr Abbott has previously agreed to construct the submarine in Adelaide and a potential partnership with local shipbuilder ASC.

Mr Abbott said designing and building submarines are complex and he believes only a few countries are capable of doing it. The prime minister had remarked that Germany and France have been involved in building a wider range of submarines. He also cited Japan as having the capability to build the “best large conventional submarine” in the world.

When Mr Abbott was asked why Swedish company Saab was not on the shortlist announced last week, the prime minister said it has been almost two decades that Sweden has built a submarine. Saab had expressed publicly that it would like to bid for the submarine project and start construction in Adelaide.

In a statement, Saab said it was about to begin building Sweden’s next generation submarines and its work in the last 20 years had required the same skills to a new design and build. Gunilla Fransson, the company’s head of defence and security, revealed that Saab has produced six submarines since 1996. The latest submarine that the company built was commissioned in 2013. “All involved significant numbers of design and production engineers with the same skills used in any new submarine build process,” said Fransson.

Mr Abbott had declared that Australia wanted to have the best possible submarines at the best possible price. He also planned to maximise Australian involvement in the building process. The prime minister denied striking a deal with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for Japan to get the submarine project. Mr Abbott said he only had more detailed conversations with Mr Abe. To end the controversy over the issue, Mr Abbott remarked that he will be holding detailed talks with France and Germany as well.

Japan, France and Germany has been asked to submit supply designs and meet Australia’s requirements for constructing the submarines in the country, reports the Daily Mail. Australia’s new submarine fleet is expected to have long-range and endurance similar to the Collins-class submarines but with more sophisticated sensor performance and enhanced stealth capability.

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