A few reports floating around have said that Government has left “scope” for more than 3x Mogamis to be built for RAN in Japan if Henderson doesn’t go as swimmingly well as they hope…
Royal Australian Navy Discussions and Updates 2.0
- Thread starter OPSSG
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iambuzzard
Well-Known Member
That came out of the blue. If it's billions it would have to be serious upgrades. Any thoughts?
Todjaeger
Potstirrer
Perhaps a moment of foresight? One of the big issues (aside from the pork) I have had with SEA 3000 is the need to get effectively a brand new site built, workforce raised and trained, and then have everything operational in a very tight timeframe in order to start deliveries when needed.
If there is some scope to get additional units built in Japan if/when problems appear in WA and/or construction schedules slip, that would likely be a good thing.
Todjaeger
Potstirrer
TBH I suspect that funding a that level is not for upgrades. One needs to remember that the Arafura-class OPV, when 12 units were ordered back in 2018, had a total cost of ~AUD$3.6 bil. and a rough per ship cost (again, in 2018 dollars) of AUD$300 mil. If budget line items for the Arafura-class in the Billions are being mentioned, I think it would be more likely that more units are being considered.
If this is accurate, then perhaps any new units if ordered, might be of to different layout and configuration, a Batch 2 OPV design if one will. That would make more sense to me than Australia pouring (flushing?) hundreds of millions of dollars per vessel into a small number of new OPV's that is only just starting to enter service.
There are Australian owned companies that could do it on time and on budget. No doubt about it. The issue is bureaucracy telling Aussies oh you haven't done this before so we'll award the contract to a bigger more internationally connected firm who are already under the pump.
CIVMEC can probably do the metal bashing (in their current facility even), but these are going to be more complicated than anything they (or AUSTAL Australia) have built before.
They are going to need someone experienced and competent for the systems integration.
In 2019 Australia's infrastructure deficit was floating above one trillion. We've wiped at least half of that that could be wiped in 6 years. It doesn't take a great imagination to see how Australia could wipe the defence deficit. Wiping the defence deficit is equally achievable if we shift focus. Unlike civil projects where money is often wasted on gold plated bridges to nowhere, the defence problem is one of misplaced instincts. The IIP currently treats "sovereign capability" as a hand-holding exercise with global partners, but independence is now a strategic necessity. The government must address foundational systemic failures rather than just visible, high-level issues. Patching only the above-water holes while ignore the leaks at the bottom ensures that even significant capital injections won't keep the capability afloat.
Just for clarification, it's not billions (strictly according to the English dictionary that needs to be at least plural), it lists $1-1.5 billion unapproved, on top of the approved $1.6 billion (which I assume is the money to civmec to finish the last four units).
So much of me wants to yell out its for a five inch gun upfront and a strike length VLS out back. I will try desperately to withhold this urge.
I think for $1.5 billion, that will be enough to retrofit them to their final purpose. The IIP states the function of patrol and recon. The recon perhaps needs some more systems, including a decent UAV, perhaps even an ESM kit.
You do realise that stingray gave me a sharp uppercut for saying that just two hours ago.