From duds to French subs - a timeline

AUSTRALIA'S SUBMARINE SAGA

1987: Labor government announces six new submarines based on a Swedish design will be constructed in Adelaide.

1993: First new sub HMAS Collins launched. The project runs into technical problems with excessive noise, engines, combat system reliability and much more.

1998: Sydney's Daily Telegraph publishes "Dud Subs" story, outlining numerous problems with Collins subs.

1998 on: Defence and submarine builder ASC work to fix problems. That takes more than a decade.

2009: Labor defence white paper reveals plan for 12 advanced new submarines, a promise reaffirmed in the 2013 blueprint.

2014: New coalition government of Tony Abbott hedges on whether the new subs will be built in Adelaide. It appears Abbott favours Japan's Soryu submarines built there.

2015: Facing a political backlash, the government announces the competitive evaluation process to consider bids from Japan and from German firm TKMS and French firm DCNS.

April 26, 2016: Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announces a win for DCNS and its Shortfin Barracuda design, with construction slated for Adelaide.

(Source: archives)