Skybird
01-23-15, 05:03 PM
German newspaper Die Welt reports Merkel has strongly lobbied for Australia buying 12 submarines of the new type 216/218. Her main argument was that Germany, different to Japan - from which Australia also considers to buy - , would be a truly neutral actor on the diplomatic playing field that Australia's neighbourhood is, with the more and more evident confrontation between China and Japan being a point of major consideration.
The boats of this new, yet to build class, are bigger than the 212/214, being 90m long and having 4000 tons (212: 65m, 1950 tons), and have been designed to meet extended endurance demands especially for possible delivery to Australian, India and Canada. By what is known about the type 216/218, they are referred to as the most modern submarines there are. The deal would be worth 14 billion minimum, and would keep the German boatmaker floating, sorry: diving - for years to come. A first customer assessing the new boat class is the navy of Singapore, having ordered two boats for testing. Further possible customers are Poland (with a max of leasing 212s and 218s) and - BIG GULP - Saudi Arabia (they may possibly buy up to 16 !!! boats).
However, these decisions are less militarily founded, but domestic politics have an influence that is decisive. Having a submarine building industry branch, I would be surprised if the Australians in the end indeed would buy foreign submarines instead of building their own Collins II diving thing and keeping the construction jobs inside their country. :D The German probably have the best boat to offer. But it will not help them.
The boats of this new, yet to build class, are bigger than the 212/214, being 90m long and having 4000 tons (212: 65m, 1950 tons), and have been designed to meet extended endurance demands especially for possible delivery to Australian, India and Canada. By what is known about the type 216/218, they are referred to as the most modern submarines there are. The deal would be worth 14 billion minimum, and would keep the German boatmaker floating, sorry: diving - for years to come. A first customer assessing the new boat class is the navy of Singapore, having ordered two boats for testing. Further possible customers are Poland (with a max of leasing 212s and 218s) and - BIG GULP - Saudi Arabia (they may possibly buy up to 16 !!! boats).
However, these decisions are less militarily founded, but domestic politics have an influence that is decisive. Having a submarine building industry branch, I would be surprised if the Australians in the end indeed would buy foreign submarines instead of building their own Collins II diving thing and keeping the construction jobs inside their country. :D The German probably have the best boat to offer. But it will not help them.