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AUKUS Sub: US May Have More Capacity: ALP?

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In response to Anonymous' March 2, 2022, comment. 

1.  I would say that the UK's BAE Systems is limited, not only by the shortage of UK manpower (completing the Astutes and building the new Dreadnought-class SSBNs). It is also limited with the UK's submarine assembly facilities, being all at Barrow (see History section). These will be packed out building Dreadnoughts (into the 2030s). After that SSN contruction, that Australia might rely on, will need to wait until BAE manpower and facilities are freed up. 

The US says its submarine building facilities are fully committed to US Navy needs. But the US may still have more men and space to assist Australia than the UK can offer. 

This is noting that as well as GD EB building Virginia's there is also HHI building Virginias.

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2. Thanks Anonymous for bringing up the ALP dominated Senate inquiry into Australian Naval Shipbuilding report titled “A Shambles: We Don’t Think, We Know” at https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Economics/Navalshipbuilding/Second_Interim_Report

From the report I suspect that the ALP's "bipartisan" support for the Coalition's AUKUS sub intention may not be a solid as currently advertised. 

The Committee's ALP versus Coalition tone and structure speaks adversarial rather than
"bi-partisan".
 

The tentative nature of the ALP's support is evident in the (mainly ALP's) comment:

 "1.19 The committee notes the bi-partisan support for the AUKUS agreement and the procurement of nuclear submarines. Notwithstanding that bi-partisanship, the committee can only conclude that Australia's submarine acquisition program to replace the Collins-class is a shambles." 

The ALP already seems to be conveying the possibility that the AUKUS sub intention may turn out to be shambolic. 

I'm pessimistic that an ALP Federal Government can work with the much higher foreign content and (especially US nuclear) labour involved in building a nuclear sub. Traditional ALP priorities that act as shipbuilding impediments (including ALP factional balancing) will re-emerge. 

The anti-nuclear Left faction will want its voice heard if/when the ALP is actually in government. The ALP will no longer need to be a bi-partisan follower of Coalition nuclear submarine policies. 

The heavily redacted/trimmed public version and much larger Secret version of the Taskforce's  Report will need to be finely worded indeed when/if its to be served up in April 2023 to an ALP Federal Government and to we ordinaries.


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