Sean Costello (left) and French Ambassador to Australia, Christophe Lecourtier in March 2016 (Photo courtesy Adelaide Advertiser)
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On June 15, 2016 an excellent
interview appeared on the DCNS Australia website
On the website click on “DCNS Australia is in the unique position of having won
the largest Defence program Australia has ever undertaken with the Future
Submarine contract. ADM Editor Katherine
Ziesing spoke to local CEO Sean Costello the week before the election was
called about how it’s all coming together.”
Or most directly
the actual interview drawn from Australian Defence Magazine - ADM June 2016, VOL. 24
NO.6 is at http://dcnsgroup.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/ADM-From-the-Source.pdf
There ADM Editor, Katherine Ziesing, asks Sean Costello,
CEO DCNS Australia, a whole range of pertinent questions about the DCNS Shortfin
win. Including:
- the future timelines…milestones,
- value of the pump jet,
- lithium-ion batteries and AIP,
- DCNS working with Raytheon and Lockheed Martin
on the combat system,
- how the Barracuda SSN program is going,
- ASC and other topics
You will see Sean Costello was/is well qualified to lead the
DCNS bid.
ADM’s website is http://www.australiandefence.com.au/
Pete
French state and DCNS hiring of Mr. Costello certainly show political savy in the submarine bid.
ReplyDeleteSo this is confirmed (at this stage) to be LAB although I do not disagree with Mr. Costello that LIB needs some more maturity under the belt.
I still believe the Achille's heel of this proposal lies in the integration of the USS weapon system. For an RFP response, what is stated on the alignments with Raytheon and Lockmart are at best an alignment between 2 sales teams that may not have the backing of the US product and R&D teams. I had been there, done that and can say that a lot of more difficult miles to overcome ahead.
KQN
Hi KQN
ReplyDeleteI concur that its better for DCNS and Australia to be thinkings LABs until Japan has performed as a Test Bunny using LIBs during the early-mid 2020s. TKMS may be playing wait and see as well.
Not wanting to be negative - BUT:
Indeed there may be too many likely cooks (ASC, SA Gov, Fed Gov, DCNS, LockMart as integrator, Raytheon as actual equipment provider, NSW steel, politically necessary WA an/or VIC companies) to make this a Collins 2 or AWD 2 Extravaganza.
And the Fed Government has already said there is $50 Billion in the kitty - value for money or not.
None of the politicians presiding now are likely to be in power in the early 2030s when the cracks widen.
Regards
Pete