Defence department secretary Dennis Richardson has called in the Australian Federal Police to investigate the leak of an early draft of its white paper.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told parliament on Wednesday that Mr Richardson had initiated an inquiry into the apparent release of the classified documents.
Leaked sections show there were initial plans to bring new submarines into service by the mid-2020s, years earlier than the government now plans.
Mr Turnbull said Defence consistently had advised the government that it was highly unlikely the first of the new submarines could be delivered by 2026.
That meant a life extension for the Collins fleet which a study in 2012 confirmed was feasible and practical.
Since that time the department and the Australian Defence Force had worked on the basis that an extension of life was the only practical option to ensure there was no capability gap between the Collins and the future submarines, the prime minister told parliament.
Mr Turnbull said the actual delivery date of the first new submarine would depend on the outcome of the competitive evaluation process now underway.
A decision is expected later this year.
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