with the latest. reporter: very same questions you re asking the united states, we are asking here in perth, australia. why is the bluefin-21 left alone to handle this massive task of mapping out a section of the indian ocean, the size of chicago, when there are other assets available in the area? we know the bluefin has run into trouble, dive one cut short after about eight hours because the water was too deep. dive number two cut short because of a technical glitch that had to be fixed. that dive lasted 11 hours. dive number three, under way right now, as far as we know, this would be the first full dive completed. we know there are more challenges that could lie ahead, as winter weather moves in, making it difficult to launch the bluefin with conditions expected to worsen in that area. so, with the united states and japan, both saying they have assets that might be better suited to a task like this, standing by, ready to be deployed, the australian government has not asked to brin