Submariners fear nothing more than an unexpected explosion when submerged, particularly when it is an own goal.

Such was the fate of the Russian submarine Kursk, sunk in the Barents Sea with all hands in August 2000 when leaking, cheap, rogue torpedo fuel discovered the perfect conditions to combust spontaneously.

As also happened in recent days when it was revealed an advisor in rogue, combustible South Australian independent Nick Xenophon’s office was the source of leaked classified, technical details of India’s acquisition of French submarines, also sourced from DCNS, and the Senator himself did his best to embroil a mission to France...