Originally Posted by
ORAC
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/a...rent-l7kfxdx7n
Australia to buy deep sea mines as China deterrent
Australia is to lace its coast with powerful sea mines to deter China and other potential attackers from sending warships and submarines into the nation’s waters.
Today the government confirmed what will be the nation’s first major investment in the underwater explosives since the Vietnam War era.
“Australia is accelerating the acquisition of smart sea mines, which will help to secure sea lines of communication and protect Australia’s maritime approaches,” a defence department spokesman said. “A modern sea mining capability is a significant deterrent to potential aggressors.”
The plan to mine key strategic choke points, such as straits and harbours, in order to cripple approaching enemy warships and submarines was first revealed by The Sydney Morning Herald on Monday morning.
It is expected that Australia will obtain up to 1,000 of the so-called smart sea mines which are designed to differentiate between military targets and other types of ships.….
The government is expected to unveil in March what it has described as the “optimal pathway” for Australia to acquire at least eight nuclear-powered submarines with support from the US and UK under the AUKUS defence pact.
The Australian Financial Review reported that three nuclear submarine builders — Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries in the US, and BAE Systems in the UK — have agreed to take up to 250 Australian workers at each of their shipyards, to be trained in nuclear-powered submarine construction.
I think this is significant in the reskilling, to build locally.