By Nicholas Stuart*
Perhaps it’s because only a thin band of metal separates a submariner from instant death. Or perhaps it’s because unique bonds are forged between sailors cooped up beneath the waves together. Nevertheless, and for whatever reason, the Australian Submarine Institute’s yearly conference (starting tomorrow, at the Hotel Realm in Canberra), has become the single key to unlocking the detail that reveals what’s going on in the single most critical project for Australia’s future defence.