Originally Posted by
rattman
Not sure that new news in any form, the plans have always been the nuclear plant and engineering would be built somewhere else, shipped to aus then mated with the rest. The actuall % could be new info considering collins something like 60% local, I think 60% local on a nuclear would be completely unrealistic
Guess it's just interpretation.
The way I read the latest story was it was being suggested that Oz would build the
entire front half, the US the
entire back half, and then they'd be mated.
Both the Virginia and Astute boats are assembled in modules after all, so I suppose it's technically possible.
And if the RAN does get the Virginia class, it may be a way of addressing the production line constraints at Newport News, due to USN orders.
But how you'd get half a sub down here, or up there... maybe I'm reading it too literally.