Attack-class submarine

Attack-class submarine

Class overview
Builders	Naval Group
Operators	Royal Australian Navy
Preceded by	Collins class
Succeeded by	SSN-AUKUS class
Cost	A$89.7 billion (2020)[1][2] for twelve units + TOT (est.)
Planned	12
Cancelled	12
General characteristics
Type	Diesel-electric attack submarine
Displacement	4,500 t surfaced[3]
Length	97 m (318 ft 3 in)[3]
Beam	8.8 m (28 ft 10 in)[3]
Installed power	Diesel electric with lead acid batteries
Propulsion	Pump-jet[3]
Speed	In excess of 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)[3]
Range	18,000 nmi (33,000 km; 21,000 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced[3]
Endurance	80 days[3]
Complement	60[3]
Sensors and processing systems	AN/BYG-1 combat system[4]
Armament	8 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes 28 torpedoes: Mark 48 MOD 7 heavyweight torpedo, Harpoon anti-ship missiles or Mk III Stonefish mines[4]

The Attack-class submarine was a planned class of French-designed submarines for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), expected to enter service in the early 2030s with construction extending until 2050.^[4] The project, which would have replaced the Collins-class submarines, began in 2007 as the Future Submarine program. In 2020 it was estimated to cost A$90 billion and would have been the largest and most complex defence acquisition project in Australian history.

Australia's unique operating environment (including significant variations in ocean climate and conditions) and rejection of nuclear marine propulsion had led it to operate the Collins-class, the world's largest diesel-electric submarines, capable of transiting the long distances from HMAS Stirling to their deployment areas. In the early phases of the project, four design options were identified: purchase a military off-the-shelf (MOTS) design, modify a MOTS design for Australian conditions, design an evolution of the Collins class, or create a new design.

In 2009, the Australian Government's defence white paper announced that a new class of twelve submarines would be built.^[5] The selected design was to be built at the ASC Pty Ltd shipyard in South Australia, but, if a company other than ASC was selected to build the submarines, they would be granted access to the government-owned facility. Early plans suggested the first submarine would be completed before 2025. However, there were significant delays in the project and by the end of 2014, operational capabilities had still not been defined. In February 2015 the Abbott government announced a competitive evaluation process between competing Japanese, French, and German designs. On 26 April 2016, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced the Shortfin Barracuda, a conventionally-powered variant of the Barracuda-class nuclear submarine by French firm DCNS (now Naval Group), as the winner.^[6]

On 16 September 2021, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the cancellation of the contract with Naval Group and the creation of AUKUS, a trilateral security pact between the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, that will help Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.^[7][8]