See Robert Gottliebsen of The Australian's excellent article “Submarines project a $220bn disaster” of December 10, 2019 at https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence/submarines-project-a-220bn-disaster/news-story/ed563e92a735dfea84f8ed1adede153b.
Robert Gottliebsen reveals major distrust between the US (which is providing the combat system for Australia's future Attack-class submarine) and the French (who are designing the sub, choosing the contractors, and will oversee its assembly in Adelaide, South Australia).
In the same article Robert Gottliebsen also reveals:
"The Australian government announced in 2016 that it would be paying $50 billion, inflation protected, for the submarines. By 2018 that had blown out to $90 billion.
At that time, with help, I estimated that the final costs over the life of the submarines, including maintenance etc, would be around $225 billion.
I expected that [Australian] defence chiefs would deny such an incredibly high estimate. Two years later they have now confirmed my estimate, which makes me suspect that the real costs are much higher...."
Robert Gottliebsen reveals major distrust between the US (which is providing the combat system for Australia's future Attack-class submarine) and the French (who are designing the sub, choosing the contractors, and will oversee its assembly in Adelaide, South Australia).
In the same article Robert Gottliebsen also reveals:
"The Australian government announced in 2016 that it would be paying $50 billion, inflation protected, for the submarines. By 2018 that had blown out to $90 billion.
At that time, with help, I estimated that the final costs over the life of the submarines, including maintenance etc, would be around $225 billion.
I expected that [Australian] defence chiefs would deny such an incredibly high estimate. Two years later they have now confirmed my estimate, which makes me suspect that the real costs are much higher...."