Australian Submarine Contract

France shouldn't have been surprised that Australia cancelled a submarine contract, as major concerns about delays, cost overruns and suitability had been aired officially and publicly for years, Australian politicians said.

The US and Australian decision to strip France of a submarine supply contract was a stark reminder the EU must bolster its own capacity to act independently of its allies, Germany's Europe minister said Tuesday.

French naval contractor DCNS today won a Aus$50 billion (US$39 billion) contract to design and build Australia's next generation of submarines, beating competition from Germany and Japan in the country's biggest ever defence procurement programme.

Japan has assured Australia it will share its most secret stealth technology if it wins a contract to design and build Canberra's next generation of submarines, a report said Monday.

Japan's defence minister urged Australia today to award a huge submarine contract to his country, saying such a deal would help bolster regional security.

France shouldn't have been surprised that Australia cancelled a submarine contract, as major concerns about delays, cost overruns and suitability had been aired officially and publicly for years, Australian politicians said.

The US and Australian decision to strip France of a submarine supply contract was a stark reminder the EU must bolster its own capacity to act independently of its allies, Germany's Europe minister said Tuesday.

French naval contractor DCNS today won a Aus$50 billion (US$39 billion) contract to design and build Australia's next generation of submarines, beating competition from Germany and Japan in the country's biggest ever defence procurement programme.

Japan has assured Australia it will share its most secret stealth technology if it wins a contract to design and build Canberra's next generation of submarines, a report said Monday.

Japan's defence minister urged Australia today to award a huge submarine contract to his country, saying such a deal would help bolster regional security.