The $40 billion the government plans to spend on new warships is for their construction only and does not include the cost of operational sustainment, Prime Minister Tony Abbott has told parliament.
Construction of new frigates and corvettes would be centred in South Australia, he said as he accused the SA Defence Teaming Centre of providing false and misleading information in claiming only $8 billion would be spent locally.
The government anticipated that construction of new offshore patrol vessels would start in Adelaide in 2018 and frigates in 2020.
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