Australian Defence Minister, Kevin Andrews, appears to dislike photo opportunities next to uniforms or defence hardware. This perhaps makes Andrews a welcome change to Prime Minister Abbott's uniform chasing.
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After receiving a tipoff that Australian Defence Minister, Kevin Andrews, might be on an overseas visit to Australia's future submarine competitors (TKMS specifically mentioned) - Minister Andrews possible itinerary is:April 23, 2015 - ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) in Berlin (combined with courtesy visit to German Defence Minister) and/or visit to the Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) submarine yard at Kiel.
April 24, 2015 – DCNS in Paris (courtesy visit to French Defence Minister) and/or to DCNS submarine yard at Cherbourg.
April 25, 2015 - attendance at ANZAC Day ceremony at Gallipoli, Turkey. The high probability that Minister Andrews would attend that ceremony on the Centenary of the Gallipoli landings places him far from Australia but close to France and Germany.
April 27-28, 2015 – Meeting with Japanese Minister of Defence Nakatani (with JMD submarine experts as well as Soryu builders MHI and KHI?) and visit to Kobe where the Soryus are built.
Accompanying Minister Andrews may be the Australian Navy, Head Future Submarine Program, a senior executive of Australia’s Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) and perhaps a senior executive of ASC.
Information from Minister Andrews' office may have already flowed to worthy Australian news corporations - but with the usual news embargo understandings. Minister Andrew’s attendance at Gallipoli may be a strong supporting sign that the tipoff coincided with something expected.
All necessarily speculation.
Pete