Royal Australian Navy Discussions and Updates 2.0

[OldTex]

With its large deck, davits, stern launch and recovery sytem it may also end up serving as a useful drone mothership.

That was one of the ideas with the Arafura class acting as the basis for the replacement of the MCM and Hydrographic vessels. Those MWVs do still need to be replaced, possibly with autonomous systems but supported by suitable motherships.

 

[spoz]

From Pat Conroys socials, Pilbara looks like it’s pretty far along, think it will definitely be commissioned next year.
Never saw Eyre enter the water until this year although it was “launched in November 2023”, it didn’t spend much time at the wharf before fit out.
Sea trials were completed in just under 1 month. (Late June - Late July)

I was at Eyre’s launch; and onboard her many times alongside over the next months. She was taken out for a bottom clean, as is standard procedure before sea trials because of the amount of growth which occurs in the warm, slightly brackish water of the Port River; but she was there alright.

What takes time after launch is not only things like finishing cable pulls and pipe runs; it’s equipment set to work and individual systems grooming then integrated testing. And also getting those who have to approve the ship as ready to go to sea to agree. I hope I’m wrong, but after 40 years in the business I won’t be counting on it. Sea trials for Hobart also took about a month, btw; by the time you get to that point most things had better be sorted.

 

[Volkodav]

That was one of the ideas with the Arafura class acting as the basis for the replacement of the MCM and Hydrographic vessels. Those MWVs do still need to be replaced, possibly with autonomous systems but supported by suitable motherships.

Those are roles Japan is planning to use the Mogami in.

If you look at the RANs Sloops, Corvettes and Frigates from the 30s and 40s it can be seen that they had a lot in common with the proposed GP frigates.

 

[SammyC]

Those are roles Japan is planning to use the Mogami in.

If you look at the RANs Sloops, Corvettes and Frigates from the 30s and 40s it can be seen that they had a lot in common with the proposed GP frigates.

I'm thinking there is still going to be a workload for mine hunting above what the GPF can do. It's still a single ship with lots of demands on its use, it can only be in one place at a time, and we will not have a full fleet until the early 40s. Even then its only 11 against the Japanese 22.

Mine hunting is heavily drone centric these days, so it can be done from a variety of platforms. I'm wondering if an outcome is broader application of say the Mogami mine hunting system (sets assume that is the GPF selection for the sake of the argument), used on the Mogami but also other vessels.

The GPFs do the higher threat areas, with the other vessels keeping protected shipping lanes and harbours clear.

 

[Volkodav]

Mine hunting is exactly the sort of capability that could be served by a centre of excellence and school, with permanently outfitted vessels for training, supported by deployable elements and distributed reserve elements.

Each major port could have a reserve MCM capability with shore deployed ROVs and more autonomous options, as well as a deployable capability suitable for GPFs, OPVs and craft of opportunity.

 

[Stampede]

With its large deck, davits, stern launch and recovery sytem it may also end up serving as a useful drone mothership.

It will wear many hats doing a wide variety of roles.

Cheers S

 

[Stampede]

Mine hunting is exactly the sort of capability that could be served by a centre of excellence and school, with permanently outfitted vessels for training, supported by deployable elements and distributed reserve elements.

Each major port could have a reserve MCM capability with shore deployed ROVs and more autonomous options, as well as a deployable capability suitable for GPFs, OPVs and craft of opportunity.

In wartime a lot requirement for local inshore work. Coast,ports and harbours.
For that you need vessel numbers.
Good basic work hirses that are flexible and adaptable.

The majors will always fall short in hull numbers.

Like the Bathurst class in World War II, there is a need for the unsexy stuff to do the boring.

Cheers S

 

[Bob53]

That is a somewhat sobering read regarding the volume of top end missiles used in that conflict.

That goes to the heart of the problem with the desire to make a decision on a long range anti missile system for Australia. For the next decade the launchers and missiles we would likely look at (Arrow, THAAD, patroit SM3) are simply unavailable for any money.

People can jump up and down and say we need to prioritise this investment, but it is just not going to happen. Not because we won't/can't stump up the funding, but because the factories are not making enough and won't for a very long time.

I would suggest that at the moment a THAAD battery (and we would need several) would be harder to get our hands on than a Virginia submarine.

The article also seems to indicate that the SM3 were less effective than they should have been. I'm wondering if that is because the earlier versions were used rather than the block 2B.

Alternatively Australia builds ballistic missiles ourselves and flip the equation on any attacker. I read the article. The volume of missiles being chewed up in what is was a limited war is ridiculous.