Royal Australian Navy Discussions and Updates

[SMC]

While not exactly within the boundaries of contemporary RAN discussions, I thought it noteworthy that other readers might find both interesting and sad. Emergency direction: Keep your distance from listing submarine ex-HMAS Otama

My understanding is that the Otama is owned by the not for profit Victorian Maritime Centre.


*Images courtesy of Coast Guard Western Port.

 

[John Newman]

With the US naming one of the LCS USS Canberra we may just get a HMAS Washington

I assume you are joking? But no, never going to happen.

There are very clear historical reasons why USS Pittsburgh was renamed Canberra.

Battle of Savo Island - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

And:

USS Canberra (CA-70) - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

I’m not too happy with some of the recent naming conventions used for RAN ships, it started with HMAS Choules (and no offence to Claude Choules).

The RAN has a 110 year history, a proud history too.

To my way of thinking there is a pretty clear path that should be followed, across all classes and types too.

Just my opinion of course.

 

[Pusser01]

The 3 Hunters named so far are named after John Hunter, Mathew Flinders and Abel Tasman who also have Regions named after them. Hunter Valley, N/W of Sydney, Flinders Rangers North of Adelaide and of course Tasmania and the Tasman Sea. I am actually struggling to find 6 more names that fit, though Oxley is one possibility as its a historic RAN name(Oberon class SSK) and named for a early explorer John Oxley.

Parramatta of course is currently in use and will be into probably the mid to late 30s. It is now 3 years since the first 3 names were announced so different people will name the next batch, i know the GG signs off on the names but how the decision is reached, I don’t know.

With the US naming one of the LCS USS Canberra we may just get a HMAS Washington

Could also possibly use Eyre after Edward Eyre (Eyre Peninsula), George Bass (Bass Strait) name also used previously, Charles Sturt (Sturt Stony Desert). Cheers.

 

[DDG38]

Good overview and explainer on how RAN warships are named : Naming of RAN Ships

 

[t68]

While not exactly within the boundaries of contemporary RAN discussions, I thought it noteworthy that other readers might find both interesting and sad. Emergency direction: Keep your distance from listing submarine ex-HMAS Otama

My understanding is that the Otama is owned by the not for profit Victorian Maritime Centre.

View attachment 48310View attachment 48311
*Images courtesy of Coast Guard Western Port.

Whats the story with this going somewhere for a paint job?

 

[spoz]

Could also possibly use Eyre after Edward Eyre (Eyre Peninsula), George Bass (Bass Strait) name also used previously, Charles Sturt (Sturt Stony Desert). Cheers.

Eyre is the second of the Arafura class OPVs, which are, confusingly, also being named after regions some of which are themselves named after explorers. The third OPV is Pilbara, then Gippsland, Illawarra and Carpentaria. Carpentaria has been used before - it used to be the name for the commissioned establishment based on Australia House in London.

And no, a lot of ex-RAN types are not at all happy with recent name selection

 

[MrConservative]

I'd go for Melbourne Cup winners. You can't get more Aussie than that.

HMAS Makybe Diva, HMAS Think Big, HMAS Empire Rose, HMAS Let's Elope, HMAS What A Nuisance and of course the 1983 winner HMAS Kiwi.

 

[ASSAIL]

I'd go for Melbourne Cup winners. You can't get more Aussie than that.

HMAS Makybe Diva, HMAS Think Big, HMAS Empire Rose, HMAS Let's Elope, HMAS What A Nuisance and of course the 1983 winner HMAS Kiwi.

If there was one named Kiwi then Jacinda would consider it hers and cancel any prospective RNZN new build so we better not go there.

 

[Redlands18]

Eyre is the second of the Arafura class OPVs, which are, confusingly, also being named after regions some of which are themselves named after explorers. The third OPV is Pilbara, then Gippsland, Illawarra and Carpentaria. Carpentaria has been used before - it used to be the name for the commissioned establishment based on Australia House in London.

And no, a lot of ex-RAN types are not at all happy with recent name selection

The next 3 Frigates named should be Melbourne, Darwin, Newcastle. Melbourne is too significant a name to left idle for 20 years. The only other Ships that might get such significant names are the 2 JSS due in the early 30s.
Surprisingly neither Darwin nor Newcastle had Bathurst class Corvettes named after them

 

[Redlands18]

I'd go for Melbourne Cup winners. You can't get more Aussie than that.

HMAS Makybe Diva, HMAS Think Big, HMAS Empire Rose, HMAS Let's Elope, HMAS What A Nuisance and of course the 1983 winner HMAS Kiwi.

All NZ Horses?

 

[rand0m]

Well, we know the USMC has a serious woody for the STS' Stern Landing Vessel concept. I wonder who amongst the selected companies has teamed up with STS.
There is a bit of leeway in the program requirements.

Navy Light Amphibious Warship (LAW) Program: Background and Issues for Congress - Congressional Research Service (Updated Jun 7, 2021)

The Damen LST120 ticks just about every one of those boxes with more than double the range, capacity, less than required crew and even the capacity for a helo.

I'm not entirely sold with the SLV's, it will be interesting to see what platforms are presented.

 

[alexsa]

While not exactly within the boundaries of contemporary RAN discussions, I thought it noteworthy that other readers might find both interesting and sad. Emergency direction: Keep your distance from listing submarine ex-HMAS Otama

My understanding is that the Otama is owned by the not for profit Victorian Maritime Centre.

View attachment 48310View attachment 48311
*Images courtesy of Coast Guard Western Port.

That really is unforgivable. It is a pity she could not have been put on a hardstand somewhere when it was clear there was no 'home' for her in the near future (Henderson springs to mind) or at least put some where where she could be effectively monitored. True, there would have been a cost to this but removing the wreak may not be cheap either.

From the pictures, it appears the upper lids of both escape hatches are open which is not promising if the lower hatch is open.

Otama and Orion were the last of the breed and were actually an upgrade compared to the first four.

 

[SMC]

That really is unforgivable. It is a pity she could not have been put on a hardstand somewhere when it was clear there was no 'home' for her in the near future (Henderson springs to mind) or at least put some where where she could be effectively monitored. True, there would have been a cost to this but removing the wreak may not be cheap either.

From the pictures, it appears the upper lids of both escape hatches are open which is not promising if the lower hatch is open.

Otama and Orion were the last of the breed and were actually an upgrade compared to the first four.

Completely agree with you. From my limited knowledge of the area it seems that she was pushed from her previous anchorage due to recent storms and has grounded on the mudflats and so is not in danger of sinking, but having said that is still in a precarious position. Lack of interest from both local and state governments has seen this project continuously stall which is a pity.

This is the most recent footage from 7 News:-

 

[Pusser01]

Perth about to get her bottom wet for the first time in approx 5 years. Cheers (my photo).

 

[FormerDirtDart]

The Damen LST120 ticks just about every one of those boxes with more than double the range, capacity, less than required crew and even the capacity for a helo.

I'm not entirely sold with the SLV's, it will be interesting to see what platforms are presented.

The report notes that "The Navy prefers that the ship’s cargo space be in the form of open deck storage." It's on the same page (12) as those bullet points, but a couple paragraphs down. Nothing Damen publicly offers meets the Navy's desires, with an open deck.
I do wonder if an open upper deck, without the LCVP davits would meet the Navy's additional preference.
And while a lot of Navies enjoy the option of LCVPs, the US Navy hasn't shown an interest in tactical landing platforms between a zodiac and an LCAC for some time. /s/

 

[BigM60]

The Damen LST120 ticks just about every one of those boxes with more than double the range, capacity, less than required crew and even the capacity for a helo.

I'm not entirely sold with the SLV's, it will be interesting to see what platforms are presented.

My understanding is that they are also looking for a vessel that is going to blend in with commercial shipping to make it more difficult to target - I am expecting something not so LST looking. Perhaps based on a Fast Supply Vessel used in the offshore industry or a conventional landing craft that are quite common in the Asian shipping lanes.

 

[alexsa]

My understanding is that they are also looking for a vessel that is going to blend in with commercial shipping to make it more difficult to target - I am expecting something not so LST looking. Perhaps based on a Fast Supply Vessel used in the offshore industry or a conventional landing craft that are quite common in the Asian shipping lanes.

Interesting comment. Where did you get that information from as I cannot find anything along those lines in what is available. Certainly the USN requirements allow a commercial design as indicated on page 8 ....

In addition to the above points, the Navy states that the LAW’s design can be based on a commercial-ship design

but this in no way suggests it is to make the vessel less of a target.

 

[FormerDirtDart]

Interesting comment. Where did you get that information from as I cannot find anything along those lines in what is available.

I had the same question, so I went looking. Apparently Jay Stefany, the Navy’s acting acquisition chief, mentioned it to a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee a couple weeks back. Not sure I see the feasibility of such an endeavor.

The U.S. Navy’s Next Amphibious Ship Aims To Blend In, Sneak Around

The U.S. Marine Corps wants a whole lot of new amphibious ships designed to look like commercial vessels so the Chinese wouldn’t be able to tell it apart from many thousands of fishing boats, trawlers and coastal tankers that also ply the Western Pacific.

www.forbes.com

US Navy’s light amphibious warship no longer on track for 2022 contract award

The U.S. Navy’s Light Amphibious Warship program is still on track for a fiscal 2022 start of construction, despite the program not appearing in the shipbuilding plan in the FY22 budget request, Navy officials told Defense News.

www.defensenews.com

 

[BigM60]

Interesting comment. Where did you get that information from as I cannot find anything along those lines in what is available. Certainly the USN requirements allow a commercial design as indicated on page 8 ....

In addition to the above points, the Navy states that the LAW’s design can be based on a commercial-ship design

but this in no way suggests it is to make the vessel less of a target.

Apologies- I should have put a reference but I honestly held the belief that it was a fairly well known requirement.

 

[FormerDirtDart]

Apologies- I should have put a reference but I honestly held the belief that it was a fairly well known requirement.

Yet, you has still not provided anything showing it as a "requirement". All that I have seen basically suggests that blending in with commercial traffic as a theoretical concept of operation. Not a design requirement.