Two days after meeting Australian Defence Minister Johnston, in Perth on 2 November 2014, French Defence Minister Mr Jean-Yves Le Drian (front row, 3rd from right) was spotted (4 November 2014) aboard the DCNS produced Scorpene submarine KD Tun Abdul Razak at Sepanggar Naval Base, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.
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It is natural that the French Government would be working alongside DCNS to market such a major potential export as the SMX Ocean large conventional submarine.
What may have been the initial phase of marketing the SMX Ocean to Australia at Euronaval 2014, Paris ended on 31 October 2014.
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Now in November 2014 marketing continues with Australia future submarine needs likely to have been an item for discussion between the French and Australian Defence Ministers meeting in Perth, Australia on 2 November 2014.
The Media Release following the meeting between Australia's Defence Minister, Senator David Johnston and French Defence Minister, Mr Jean-Yves Le Drian, did not specifically mention marketing weapon systems. However the Media Release noted:
"Both Ministers noted close cooperation on naval capabilities and the importance of continued exchanges. The Ministers concluded that France and Australia should continue to work closely on defence capabilities and to share best practices and lessons learned in operational and technical fields."
Corridor discussions with the French Delegation were likely - probably including defence officials, military officers and officials from DCNS Group Australian Branch (the Branch is based in Canberra).
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Later in November the Submarine Institute of Australia is holding a Centenerary Conference (100 years since Australia's first submarines were commissioned) 11-13 November 2014, Fremantle Western Australia. In terms of marketing opportunities the publically available program includes short presentations by potential main contractors from:
France
DCNS - Benoît Gueguen - Submarine Naval Architect, DCNS concering "The SMX Ocean, a world première"
also a representitive of French company Sagem Defense and Security.
Germany
TKMS - Manfred Klein - Senior Vice-President, Product Management, TKMS on "Establishing a new submarine design capability: the TKMS experience."
TKMS - Daniel Mahon - Design Concepts Submarines, TKMS on "AIP - Reflections of a former German Submarine Captain."
also representatives from the German Navy and Siemens.
Note that a high level delegation from TKMS earlier visited Canberra in mid-October 2014.
TKMS Australia has offices in Adelaide and Melbourne, Australia.
Spain and Sweden
Representatives of Spain (Navantia) and Sweden (Navy) will also be giving presentations at the Submarine Institute of Australia is holding a Centenerary Conference.
COMMENT
All this French, German, Spanish and Swedish marketing activity may be in vain if the frequent Australian-Japanese ministerial level negotiations going on now result in increasingly firm proposals to buy Japan's Soryu, Mark 2 (non-AIP but Lithium-ion battery).
Pete