Shipbuilding: applying lessons learned

摘要

Although Spanish philosopher, essayist, poet and novelist George Santayana died 63 years before Prime Minister Tony Abbott's announcement in August of a long-term, continuous surface ship naval shipbuilding plan, his dictum seems particularly relevant to this undertaking. The proposed plan involves construction in Australia from 2018 - two years earlier than anticipated - of about 20 of a new class of offshore patrol vessel (OPVs) to replace the 13-strong Armidale patrol boat fleet, and work beginning in 2020 - three years earlier than previously planned - on Future Frigates to succeed the eight-strong ANZAC class. Although the Future Submarine, planned under Project Sea 1000 to replace the six Collins boats, was described by the Prime Minister as the third pillar of what would be a strong and sustainable industry, it was not specifically linked by him to either a continuous build or to onshore or offshore construction.