Federal Labor has pledged to look at ways to keep Australia's current submarine fleet going to fill the gap before nuclear-powered vessels are acquired in 2040.
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In a major foreign policy and security speech, Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said Labor would plan for how submarine capability would be addressed should they win government at the next election.
One option touted is to consider whether Tomahawk missiles could be fitted to the existing Collins class submarines.
Australia will acquire nuclear-powered submarines by 2040 as part of the AUKUS alliance with the United Kingdom and United States.
The deal meant the government scrapped an existing multi-billion dollar contract with the French government to produce submarines.
In a speech to the Lowy Institute on Thursday, Mr Albanese said plans were needed to address how submarines would be used by the country's defence force in the interim before nuclear vessels were ready.
"The entire episode is the greatest defence procurement disaster we have seen in the country," Mr Albanese said.
"After a production line of six defence ministers in this government, and two goes at landing on a model, we now have no contract for any submarine and a looming submarine-shaped capability gap."
He said Labor pledged bipartisan support for the AUKUS and the nuclear submarines.
The opposition has also already committed to a defence force posture review.
"In government, this review will provide a a more reliable basis for decisions on the final location of a new submarine base," Mr Albanese said.
The government earlier this week announced a shortlist of potential locations for the new nuclear submarine base.
Newcastle and Port Kembla have been considered in NSW, while Brisbane has also been shortlisted.
No decision on the final location is expected to be made until after the federal election, but initial work is slated to be completed by the end of next year.
Mr Albanese said while the government had been dropping hints about the submarines, no clarity had been offered.
"(The submarine base announcement) is driven by an election timetable rather than a full analysis of our overall force posture, which has not been done since Labor was last in power," he said.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison was due to discuss the possibility of the Brisbane submarine base with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Thursday.
"You need to be able to base these operations close to a major population centre," he told reporters in Brisbane.
"That means you're drawing on academic capabilities, scientific capabilities, universities, defence, industry. All of this is critical for the successful operation of a nuclear-propelled submarine base."
Australian Associated Press
