SSN Kulübüne Avustralya da mı Katılıyor?

Hindistan'ın ilk nükleer denizaltısını denize indirme hazırlıklarını yaptığı sırada, Asya - Pasifik'in yükselen gücü Avustralya'da da bu konudaki tartışmalar tekrar alevlendi.

Halihazırda 6 adet Collins sınıfı dizel elektrik sınıfı denizaltıya sahip olan Avustralya, kısa süre önce açıklanan 20 yıllık tedarik planı uyarınca filosunu iki katına çıkartacak, yani 12 adet denizaltı inşa edecek. Collins sınıfı, dizel elektrik denizaltılar arasında tonaj bakımından en büyük tasarımlardan biri; İsveç Kockums tersanesi ile birlikte geliştirilmişlerdi.

Avustralya'nın gerek deniz ilgi ve menfaat alanının genişliği gerekse bölgesel güç olma iddiasını dayanak alan bazı çevreler, uzun süredir nükleer tahrikli denizaltı inşasını savunmakta. Bu konuda Avustralya deniz kuvvetleri, savunma sanayii ve politika çevrelerinde güçlü isimler lobi yapmakta. Buna karşılık nükleer tahrikli denizaltı tedariğinin bölgede gereksiz bir silahlanma yarışını tetikleyebileceğini öne süren kesimler mevcut. Ancak ilginçtir, her iki cephe de, yeni denizaltı geliştirilmesinde ABD ile yakın işbirliğini savunmakta.

Ne var ki yeni açıklanan savunma tedarik planı, üretilecek 12 denizaltının konvansiyonel tahrikli olmasını öngörüyor. Bu plana itirazlar gecikmedi.

Avustralya son yıllarda savunma alımlarına geniş pay ayırmakta ve son derece modern silah sistemleri tedarik etmekte. Boeing 737-700MESA Wedgetail Havadan Erken İhbar ve Kontrol (HEİK) uçağı tedariği, 24 adet F/A-18F Super Hornet, MRH-90 genel maksat helikopteri, Hobart sınıfı hava savunma destroyeri, Canberra sınıfı LPH, M-1 Abrams sadece ilk etapta akla gelen projeler. Önümüzdeki 20 yılda savunma bütçesi her yıl artarak büyüyecek.

Bu kapsamda, nükleer denizaltı tartışmaları önem kazanıyor, zira Asya - Pasifik bölgesinde denizaltında çok yoğun bir hareketlilik yaşanmakta:

Singapur kısa süre önce İsveç'ten 2 adet A-17 Vastergötland sınıfı denizaltının ilkini, Archer adı ile hizmete aldı. A-17 sınıfı, devredilmeden önce Yunanistan'ın Tip 209 / 1200 sınıfına Neptune II projesi ile yaptığına benzer şekilde gövdesi uzatılarak AIP havadan bağımsız tahrik kabiliyeti kazandı. Stirling motoru ile donatılan Archer sınıfı denizaltılar Singapur'un gereksinimlerine göre modern atış kontrol sistemleri ile donatıldı.

Endonezya yeni nesil dizel elektrik denizaltı için önce Rusya'ya yönelmişti ancak gelen son haberlere göre Güney Kore'den Tip 209 tedariğinin olasılığı artmış durumda.

Malezya Scorpene sınıfı denizaltıları hizmete almaya başladı.

Çin'in özellikle SSBN ve SSN filosunu genişletmeye yönelik çalışmaları devam ediyor.

Arihant adlı ilk nükleer denizaltısını denize indirmeye hazırlanan Hindistan, Rusya'dan kiraladığı Nerpa adlı Akula tipi nükleer denizaltıyı bu sene sonlarına doğru hizmete alacak. Kilo sınıfı denizaltıları, ziyadesiyle uzayan yarı ömür modernizasyonunda olan ve bu projede sıkıntılar yaşayan Hindistan, 6 adet Scorpene üretecek. Scorpene'lerden 3'ü MESMA AIP tahrik sistemine sahip olacak.

Agosta 90B'ler ile AIP kabiliyetine sahip olan Pakistan'ın 3 adet Tip 214 alımı söz konusu.

Tayvan uzun süredir dizel elektrik denizaltı konusunda ABD nezdinde lobi yapmakta.

Güney Kore'nin güçlü bir Tip 209 filosu bulunmakta. Halen devam eden 3 adet Tip 214 (KSS-2) inşa projesi, 6 adetlik opsiyonun işletilmesi ile devam edecek. 3,000t deplasmanlık özgün tasarım KSS-3 şimdilik rafa kaldırılmış durumda.

Bölgesinde ciddi etkinlik iddiasında olan Avustralya'nın bu ortamda denizaltı savunma harbi teknolojilerine yatırım yapması kaçınılmaz oluyor: P-8A Poseidon projesine ortak olarak katılım da bunun bir uzantısı. ABD'nin P-8 filolarının büyük kısmını Pasifik bölgesinde konuşlandırma planı da bir tesadüf değil elbet...

Aşağıda bu konu ile ilgili Avustralya'daki tartışmalara örnek olarak iki haber var. Önümüzdeki dönemde Pasifik'teki suların daha da ısınması muhtemel gibi...

Navy 'must rule out nuclear subs'

Cameron Stewart | December 27, 2007

THE Rudd Government is under pressure to rule out nuclear submarines as a future option for the Royal Australian Navy.

The Defence Department plans to examine the feasibility of nuclear-powered submarines as part of its studies into the next generation of submarines to replace the conventionally powered Collins-class fleet from 2025.

The Australian revealed yesterday that Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon had ordered planning to begin for the submarine replacement project - the longest and most expensive defence project undertaken in Australia.

The new submarines are considered essential to counter an expected arms race in the Asian region as Indonesia, China and India seek to expand their submarine fleets.

Defence says all options for the new submarines will be considered and it is too early to rule anything in or out, including the controversial nuclear option.

Opposition defence spokesman Nick Minchin said the Government should immediately reject the option of nuclear submarines.

"Australia has no capability or expertise to build or maintain nuclear submarines and the Collins-class boats have proved that conventional submarines can do the job," Senator Minchin said. "Rather than have a distracting debate, Labor should just rule out the nuclear option now."

While refusing to rule out the nuclear option, Mr Fitzgibbon yesterday played down the prospect of the navy acquiring a nuclear submarine fleet. "Without pre-empting the outcome of various studies, I note that Australia has been able to maintain a capability edge in the submarine area using conventionally powered boats and I expect we will be able to do so in the future," he told The Australian.

Nuclear-powered submarines are three times more expensive than conventional diesel-powered vessels and are more complex and costly to maintain. But they are faster than conventional submarines and can travel indefinitely underwater without having to surface every few days as the diesel-powered vessels do.

Submarine Institute of Australia president Peter Briggs welcomed the Government's commitment to build a new generation of submarines but said they should be conventional.

"I think they should rule out the nuclear option because frankly we do not have time for such a major debate if we are to deliver new submarines by 2025," Mr Briggs said.

'Australia has no nuclear industry and no nuclear facilities at our universities, and so we don't have the personnel or the knowledge required."

Australia Defence Association executive director Neil James said Defence was right to examine the option of acquiring nuclear submarines, but that it was unlikely the nuclear option would ultimately be accepted.

The 17-year submarine replacement project could cost up to $25billion, according to the independent think tank the Kokoda Foundation.

Defence will canvass a range of futuristic options for the new submarines, which are expected to be capable of carrying long-range cruise missiles and futuristic mini-subs.

The unmanned mini-subs will be capable of being launched from the "mother" submarine, giving greater overall protection while also increasing the options for attack.

These remote-controlled vehicles can be sent many kilometres away from the mother ship to search for other submarines, gather intelligence or even transport an SAS team to a secret location.

Planning for the new fleet will begin immediately with the aim of gaining "first pass" approval for the design phase from cabinet's National Security Committee in 2011.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22974718-2702,00.html

Lobby calls for nuclear submarines

Brendan Nicholson

July 17, 2009

AN INFLUENTIAL defence lobby group says Australia's 12 new submarines should be nuclear powered to give them the range and speed to carry out extended patrols far away off North Asia.

The Navy League says the rejection of nuclear propulsion for the submarines in the recent defence white paper was "hasty and unconsidered" and "an absurd decision when one remembers we are one of the largest exporters of uranium".

Four nations that operate in the Indian and Pacific oceans, Russia, China, India and the United States, operate nuclear submarines, says the league in the latest edition of its publication The Navy. "If Australia is to maintain its technological edge it too should opt for nuclear propulsion," it says.

The league, which includes many retired senior officers, has urged the Federal Government to reverse the decision that the submarines would be conventionally powered.

It says nuclear submarines are much faster and have very much longer range than conventional boats, and Australia, in particular, needs that range if it is to send submarines far into the North China Sea.

Asked yesterday if a rethink was likely, a Defence spokesman referred The Age to the white paper and said nothing had changed. That document said that "the Government has ruled out nuclear propulsion for these submarines".

Defence specialists told The Age that without a nuclear industry in Australia, building and running nuclear submarines would be extremely difficult.

Analyst Andrew Davies, of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said Australia had neither the political will nor the technical capability to field a nuclear submarine in the foreseeable future.

"Given the challenges that lie ahead in the development of Australia's future subs, we shouldn't waste time and energy pursuing the idea," Dr Davies said.

The league says the Government wanted a new submarine that was able to travel very long distances secretly, and that a nuclear submarine could do that much more effectively than a conventional one.

It points out that China is building its own nuclear ballistic missile submarines and attack submarines used to destroy ships and other submarines.

Retired rear admiral Andrew Robertson said nuclear submarines had unlimited endurance and could operate for as long as their crews were able to man them.

"They can circumnavigate the world submerged at high speed," he said.

He said the lack of civil industrial back-up was not insurmountable. He said skilled technicians would be needed in the navy and its supporting industries, but that the latest nuclear submarines did not need reactor refuelling in their entire lives and this reduced the support they needed.

http://www.theage.com.au/national/lobby-calls-for-nuclear-submarines-20090716-dmxr.html

Avustralya'da Nükleer Denizaltı Tartışmaları

Avustralya'dan The Age adlı haber sitesinde yer alan makaleye göre, Avustralya Savunma Bakanlığı'ndaki denizaltı tedarik dairesi başkanı Amiral Peter Briggs ve ülkenin önde gelen savunma analistlerinden Allan Behn'in hazırlayıp başbakan John Howard'a sunduğu raporda, Avustralya'nın bölgesindeki krizlere daha çabuk müdahale edebilmesi için nükleer tahrikli denizaltılara yönelmesi tavsiye ediliyor.

Muhalefet lideri Kim Beazley ise Avustralya'nın nükleer tahrikli denizaltılara sahip olmasına şiddetle karşı çıkmakta. Dolayısıyla olayın siyasi yönü de ağırlık kazanmakta.

Avustralya Deniz Kuvvetleri'nde halihazırda 6 adet Collins sınıfı dizel elektrik tahrikli denizaltı bulunuyor.

Submarine fleet 'should go nuclear'

Katharine Murphy
September 5, 2006


AUSTRALIA must consider commissioning a new fleet of nuclear-powered submarines, a submission to the nuclear taskforce says. The move will be necessary to deal with complex security pressures emerging within the region over the next two decades.

The former head of the navy's submarine team, Rear Admiral Peter Briggs, and one of Australia's top national security analysts, Allan Behm, claim the national debate on nuclear energy allows Australia to consider seriously the advantages of acquiring nuclear-powered submarines to replace the Collins class.

In a submission to John Howard's nuclear taskforce, they argue the current and emerging security imperatives of the region, which will require Australia's defence forces to respond to "short-notice contingencies" over the next 15 to 20 years, favour nuclear-powered fleets.

"Nuclear propulsion allows the submarine to proceed covertly at high speed … and greatly reduces the risk of counter detection of the submarine."

The men warn Australia will not be able to secure such a controversial shift in defence procurement policy without bipartisan political support.

Opposition Leader Kim Beazley was the architect of the Australian Navy's program that developed the Collins-class submarine while serving as defence minister in the Hawke government in the mid-1980s.

But Mr Beazley has declared his party will oppose any move by the Howard Government to develop a nuclear power industry in Australia.

"Without (the foundation of bipartisanship) any discussion about the need for nuclear power for Australia's submarine capability is likely to be poorly directed and at risk of derailing the fundamental need to start preparations for replacing this critical national capability," Admiral Briggs and Mr Behm say.

The controversial argument in favour of Australia considering nuclear-propelled warships is made in a submission to an inquiry headed by former Telstra chief Ziggy Switkowski.

The inquiry has published about 200 submissions considering arguments for and against Australia developing a domestic nuclear industry. It will report to the Government in November.

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