Official defends France’s ability to build subs
PARIS – The spokesperson for France’s Defense Ministry used Twitter to offer a robust defense of the country’s submarine-making capabilities and to criticize Australia’s decision to choose the United States as a partner in a major defense deal.
Defense Ministry spokesman Herve Grandjean devoted a series of tweets to tearing into the deal, which also includes Britain. Some say Australia’s announcement pulled the diplomatic rug from under France’s feet.
“France has built more than 250 submarines” over 120 years, Grandjean said, and “the feedback in terms of engineering and know-how is considerable.”
Australia plans to cancel a multibillion-dollar contract to buy dieselelectric French submarines and acquire U.S. nuclear-powered vessels instead. The French government has suggested it was betrayed by the IndoPacific security deal.
Grandjean charged that Australia’s decision was “bad news” for Australians. He said the new AUKUS partnership will mean the country is likely to get the submarines a decade later than planned.