German submarines now appear the safer replacement bet

Within the space of a few weeks the Abbott government has presided over a shake-up of the options for a fleet of submarines to replace the ageing ­Collins class.

While an evolved Collins class was a short-price favourite at the end of the Labor era, an almighty spat between the Swedish government and German industrial giant Thyssen Krupp Marine Systems means a German design could now fall over the line.

The nuclear option remains off the table despite the US indicating it would be amenable to an Australian approach on the Virginia class submarines.

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