Royal Australian Navy Discussions and Updates 2.0
- Thread starter OPSSG
- Start date
Agree the world is in an unpredictable era.
Alliances have a place, but in the end a nation needs its own military options to make sovereign choices.
We need more focus on short term enhancement while recognising and continuing with long term projects.
I acknowledge the challenges of money and training etc but it’s always interesting when a nation actually goes to war, when significant money and commitment is needed and given stuff actually does happen very quickly.
It appears political words don’t appear to mirror desired output and need.
Cheers S
You have three seats, so you can put an air force aviator, a sailor and an soldier in them.. manned by all three, paid by all three.
Navy doesn't seem to mind army operating watercraft. Navy and fixed wing seems to unfurl deep seated paranoia in air forces...
Takao
The Bunker Group
Yes and no
There is a serious study floating around from 2020 that puts a CVBG in 2042/43 with escorts. It had VSO RAAF buy in. But that was skiboshed by DSR 23.
Now we have the issue where a number of people realise the need for fixed wing at sea, be that crewed or otherwise, but can't get it in. If you look at what Navy has now and then what it's short, it's hard to argue for new when the second category is so big. Big enough that you've seen leave cuts and the like to save money. Then add in the conceptual needs that there are: an additional bunch of frigates in the West and a bigger surface fleet overall could probably do with some additional AORs; a decent magazine depth for the fleet; some mine hunting capability; whatever the hell a LOSV-thingy is; etc. That all comes at a cost - and currently the Maritime Domain gets 41% of the IIP. There is very little ability for the RAN to argue for significant additional money (even for those real needs now), despite most of that $$ going into a non-RAN bucket.
As one of my favourite RADM said, we have the bricks, now we need the mortar.
Just have a look at the history of all the 129s. It's clear that no matter what the RAN needs or says, it's playing at least third, if not further back
https://news.usni.org/2026/09/29/3-louisiana-shipyards-to-build-30-drone-ships-in-navy-musv-deal
The above link relates to the USN, however given I would put money on the table to bet that Australia follows the USN route into surface combatant drones, I think this milestone is insightful for what the RAN may end up doing.
The USN has picked three MUSV designs to progress to limited production, 30 in total, 10 per type. Saronic (Marauder), HII (Romulus) and Galliano Marine Services (still researching this one, looks like a dark horse option). Deliveries commence within the FY2027 period. 30 vessels is no longer R&D, this is now low rate initial production.
A couple of points about this, all three designs have progressed through some physical trials that involved autonomous navigation, flotilla formation/independent sailing reliability, and interestingly, the ability to navigate passively (without radar or GPS, so by optical systems only). Also of note they require very little human direction. Part of the earlier trials required the vessels achive a desired mission (such as a navigation course, or following another vessel) with only a single human input. It feels similar to the autonomy we hear that the ghost bat for the RAAF can do.
All three have long range, reasonable speed (25 kts plus) and large payloads. The specification for the MUSV is 40 tonnes across 2 20' isos), however both the Marauder and Romulus can do substantially more than this (in the order of 80-150 tonnes,across 4 20' isos). Most importantly, they are quoting a build cost of $US40 million. They seem to be hitting the cheap and capable marker pretty well. While perhaps not in the LUSV territory, they are certainly super MUSVs.
Saronic build the Marauder in a basic tin shed, so these things can be built by small scale yards anywhere.
With a fleet of 30, I would expect these MUSVs will start to be attached to crewed USN squadrons and we will see them in integrated operational environments soon.
With the quoted payloads, these could be used to supplement the LCMs in moving equipment around (including heavy vehicles), take a radar like a CEAOPS, or 8-12 missile silos. All for $US40 million a pop. And they can be built within months. They would appear to be so useful, right now.
I would love to see our defence force be as bold in this area as it has been for other drones like the ghost bat, ghost shark and bluebottle.
The above link relates to the USN, however given I would put money on the table to bet that Australia follows the USN route into surface combatant drones, I think this milestone is insightful for what the RAN may end up doing.
The USN has picked three MUSV designs to progress to limited production, 30 in total, 10 per type. Saronic (Marauder), HII (Romulus) and Galliano Marine Services (still researching this one, looks like a dark horse option). Deliveries commence within the FY2027 period. 30 vessels is no longer R&D, this is now low rate initial production.
A couple of points about this, all three designs have progressed through some physical trials that involved autonomous navigation, flotilla formation/independent sailing reliability, and interestingly, the ability to navigate passively (without radar or GPS, so by optical systems only). Also of note they require very little human direction. Part of the earlier trials required the vessels achive a desired mission (such as a navigation course, or following another vessel) with only a single human input. It feels similar to the autonomy we hear that the ghost bat for the RAAF can do.
All three have long range, reasonable speed (25 kts plus) and large payloads. The specification for the MUSV is 40 tonnes across 2 20' isos), however both the Marauder and Romulus can do substantially more than this (in the order of 80-150 tonnes,across 4 20' isos). Most importantly, they are quoting a build cost of $US40 million. They seem to be hitting the cheap and capable marker pretty well. While perhaps not in the LUSV territory, they are certainly super MUSVs.
Saronic build the Marauder in a basic tin shed, so these things can be built by small scale yards anywhere.
With a fleet of 30, I would expect these MUSVs will start to be attached to crewed USN squadrons and we will see them in integrated operational environments soon.
With the quoted payloads, these could be used to supplement the LCMs in moving equipment around (including heavy vehicles), take a radar like a CEAOPS, or 8-12 missile silos. All for $US40 million a pop. And they can be built within months. They would appear to be so useful, right now.
I would love to see our defence force be as bold in this area as it has been for other drones like the ghost bat, ghost shark and bluebottle.