Australia's Domestic Submarine Design Capabilities: Options for the Future Submarine

Abstract : Australia will need a domestic workforce of roughly 1,000 skilled draftsmen and engineers in industry and Government to create and oversee the design of a new, conventionally powered submarine for the Royal Australian Navy. Such a workforce does not exist in Australia today, but one could be cultivated over the next 15 to 20 years under the right circumstances. By collaborating with foreign design partners rather than relying exclusively on a domestic design workforce, Australia could shorten the duration and lessen the costs of designing a new submarine.