#aukus Even if Australia receives these secondhand submarines (unlikely), we won't have enough personnel with the expertise to operate and maintain them. The whole "deal" is a joke. #auspol

Decades? Australia could probably build their own submarine INDUSTRY in that much time.

As for purchase, assuming Australia doesn't want the problems of nuclear, for diesel-electric subs Germany is still the world's foremost producer and exporter. They invented the U-boat after all.

A couple decades ago, Sea Shepherd nearly managed to score an old Russian diesel-electric sub, intended use was against Norway's factory whalers. The deal fell through, a minisub was substituted, and an epic naval battle on the North Sea ensued.