France can do nuclear subs, Australia explicitly wanted diesel, until they suddenly didn't want diesel anymore.
Arms deals are a joke always, they don't make sense, its basically all corruption fraud and lies.
Arms deals are a joke always, they don't make sense, its basically all corruption fraud and lies.
From what I understand, France is willing to sell nuclear submarines, with some caveats related to non-proliferation treaties (though apparently the upcoming US deal might blatantly violate those).
This kind of move is about backroom deals and consolidation of soft power; if Australia had asked France for nuclear submarines, they would never have sunk a multi-billion deal over that.