October 20, 2022

Retired US Admirals Contracted to Australia: AUKUS Subs

The good folks at China Daily, Oct 19, 2022, carry information originally from 

the Washington Post [a paysite blocked to Pete] dated Oct 19, that: 

"Former US admirals and senior US Navy leaders are working as paid, confidential advisers to the Australian government to help acquire top-secret nuclear submarine technology from the US and the UK, according to a Post investigation. They have received consulting deals from the [Australian] government worth more than $10 million combined.

Some retired US admirals have worked for the Australian government as paid advisers while simultaneously consulting for the US Navy. One retired US admiral was hired by the government of Australia to serve as its deputy secretary of defense and to oversee its submarine program, the Post reported."

"...Foreign governments pay salary and benefit packages reaching six, and sometimes seven, figures for the retired military personnel. Retired generals and admirals command the most money, but former enlisted personnel can also collect foreign pay on top of their US military pensions, the Post said.

Retired military personnel seeking foreign work must first obtain approval from their branch of the armed forces and the [US] State Department."

Pete Comment

This may mean that the retired US Admirals, as contractors to Australia's  

AUKUS Nuclear Powered Submarine Taskforcemight tend to offer accurate

advice that the US cannot offer Virginia-class subs to Australia.

It also begs the question whether there are retired British Admirals and

other senior Brits also contracted to Australia's Nuclear Powered Submarine

Taskforce.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Pete
The article can be read on the MSN site entirely
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/retired-u-s-admirals-advise-australia-on-deal-for-nuclear-submarines/ar-AA135K9x
Started in 2015?2016 for sure
Conflict of interest? (Consultant to US Yards):yes , probably unavoidable in this narrow industry .Link to the USN of course but that was open and normal.
What was their tasks, recruited by whom and managed by whom?
Influencial in ditching the French sub in favor of US Nuckear one? certainly a significant part of the saga in the French perspective,
These info were in the french press long ago

Its history now
Consultants ... consults and ... do not manage the consequence !

Pete said...

Thanks Anonymous @Oct 20, 2022, 5:26:00 PM

The Washington Post article carried by MSN https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/retired-u-s-admirals-advise-australia-on-deal-for-nuclear-submarines/ar-AA135K9x

is very long and multifaceted.

Many readers might go straight to a negative spin on it.

I'll have a read and comment next week.

Cheers Pete

Anonymous said...

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/indian-submarine-fleet-to-get-fresh-impetus-by-early-2023/articleshow/95017099.cms

"On the SSBN (nuclear-propelled submarines armed with nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles) front, the 6,000-tonne INS Arighat is also slated to be commissioned within the next few months.

When she joins INS Arihant, she will add some teeth to India's strategic deterrence posture by strengthening the country's weakest leg of the nuclear triad. Under the Rs 90,000 crore advanced technology vessel (ATV) project, two more 7,000-tonne SSBNs (currently called S-4 and S-4*) are under construction, with one of them being "launched into water" last year."

Pete said...

Thanks Anonymous @Oct 22, 2022, 4:39:00 AM

India's Economic Times article https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/indian-submarine-fleet-to-get-fresh-impetus-by-early-2023/articleshow/95017099.cms

is a useful update on Indian SSK and SSBN progress.

Of India's indigenous SSN Program, known as "Project 75 Alpha", https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_75_Alpha

less has been made public.

Regards Pete

Gessler said...

Speaking of hiring retired servicemembers for training...

The UK's MoD has admitted that up to 30 ex-Royal Air Force pilots were contracted to impart knowledge, training & tactics to the Chinese PLAAF. The Brits' Intelligence seem to be looking at this as a serious breach, as they should. Though how the Chinese military managed to recruit dozens of ex-Air Force pilots from a Five Eyes country in the first place is quite alarming, and the implications quite disturbing.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-63293582

Cheers

Pete said...

Thanks Gessler @Oct 23, 2022, 4:27:00 PM

The worldwide military adviser scene is amoral with advisors from many major armed forces (India, Russia, China, Europe, UK, US etc) training or supporting unwholesome customer armed forces.

eg. current or former Indian naval officers teaching Myanmar's Navy how to use the Indian donated submarine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myanmar_Navy#Submarines. The Myanmar army being accused of "genocide" against Myanmar's Rohingya minority.

Armed forces of the human rights breaking Saudi regime being taught be a wide range of Western arms suppliers.

The former UK pilots teaching PRC pilots case in point https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-63293582
being similar to the UK naval aviator/sailors teaching Japan how to have a more deadly naval air arm before WWII.

Russia supporting and teaching Syrian armed forces how to kill Syrian citizens wanting democracy.

Russian former and current officers teaching militiamen in Ukraine how to be more deadly against civilians.

One could go on and on.