OZ's High Tech Capability

[Bernard Robertson-Dunn]

$5bn stealth boats loud as rock concert
By IAN McPHEDRAN

8oct98

AUSTRALIA's $5 billion Collins class submarines are noisy duds
incapable of defending themselves, a top-secret US Navy report has
found. 

The report is particularly critical of the noise generated by the
frontline attack submarines which normally rely on stealth to remain
invisible to the enemy. 

"They make about as much noise as a rock concert under water," a
source who had seen the report told The Daily Telegraph. 
...
The report also concluded that the submarines could not defend
themselves even if attacked because the combat software systems on
the vessels were virtually useless. The navy would not discuss the
noise issue at all because of the highly sensitive nature of the
information contained in the US report. 
...
They found that the combat system would never work unless it was
augmented with elements of a combat data system used on American Los
Angeles Class nuclear attack submarines. 

<brd>
How about this for a logical argument?

Australia is incapable of dealing with high tech development, and so
should rely on overseas assistance.

Australia has run down its high-tech capability because of a lack of
research and industry incentives and now we are not even capable of
working with overseas organisations.

The only alternative is to buy overseas technology, off the shelf
and with minimum modification to meet our specific needs.

What we really need is a nation that has the same
geo-political-social-economic characteristics as Australia and we
can buy their technology. Then we don't even have to attempt to do
our own research.

Think how much money we could save.
</brd>

-- 
Dean, to the physics department.
"Why do I always have to give you guys so much money, for
laboratories and expensive equipment and stuff. Why couldn't
you be like the math department - all they need is money for
pencils, paper and waste-paper baskets. Or even better, like the
philosophy department. All they need are pencils and paper." 
-- Unknown


Regards
brd

Bernard Robertson-Dunn
Canberra Australia
brd@dynamite.com.au