Royal Australian Navy Discussions and Updates

[Kirkzzy]

I was looking thru the Sydney maritime museum web site and came across this little virtual tour of the RAN past and present ships submarine and aircraft. Gives a you a little look inside, it’s not in depth but worth a look.

Royal Australian Navy - Virtual Fleet

I had a look and I noticed that it was pretty out of date. Had Hmas Westralia and the Attack and Freemantle patrol boats listed as current fleet.

 

[StoresBasher]

Has Manoora's decommissioning day been released to the world?
I haven't seen it anywhere yet...
Should have my posting to LB in b&w tomorrow

 

[t68]

Has Manoora's decommissioning day been released to the world?
I haven't seen it anywhere yet...
Should have my posting to LB in b&w tomorrow

I thought they had already decommissioned Manoora, should be a good time in the old dart getting her ready for the trip back oz.

Better take a couple of esky with ice with you to get the beer cold.

 

[Pusser01]

Has Manoora's decommissioning day been released to the world?
I haven't seen it anywhere yet...
Should have my posting to LB in b&w tomorrow

Have seen the signal and it was unclass, would assume the date would be mentioned to the general public soon.
Cheers

 

[John Newman]

With the Federal Budget handed down tonite, though I would have a look and see what was mentioned about defence, well very little at first glance.

But I did see this reported on the Daily Telegraph online site regarding Largs Bay:


"$177 million will be invested in a Bay Class amphibious ship, Largs Bay"


Couldn't see any further details, just the bullet point above, I assume this must be the project cost, eg purchase, refit, fitting of RAN specific equipment, etc.

Looks like we are spending another $70m+ on the ship, on top of the approx $100m purchase price.

 

[SASWanabe]

heres a good overview.

Cuts and delays to cost Defence $4.3bn | The Australian

and heres the official page

http://www.budget.gov.au/2011-12/content/bp2/html/bp2_capital-05.htm

kinda sad to see the money saved last year wont go back into defence :frown

 

[swerve]

With the Federal Budget handed down tonite, though I would have a look and see what was mentioned about defence, well very little at first glance.

But I did see this reported on the Daily Telegraph online site regarding Largs Bay:


"$177 million will be invested in a Bay Class amphibious ship, Largs Bay"


Couldn't see any further details, just the bullet point above, I assume this must be the project cost, eg purchase, refit, fitting of RAN specific equipment, etc.

Looks like we are spending another $70m+ on the ship, on top of the approx $100m purchase price.

It's already been announced that Australia is buying Mexeflotes & a temporary aircraft shelter for the ship, & they weren't included in the original purchase price. They'll only account for a small part of that $77mn, but every little counts.

 

[Aussie Digger]

heres a good overview.

Cuts and delays to cost Defence $4.3bn | The Australian

and heres the official page

Budget Measures 2011-12 - Budget Paper No. 2 - Capital Measures - Defence

kinda sad to see the money saved last year wont go back into defence :frown

The money will go back to Defence when they can actually spend it, from what Mr Smith is saying.

Though how this equates to a desire to buy more OTS hardware I am not exactly certain. Nor does it seem that Defence is having too much trouble spending on C-17's and Largs Bay, Super Hornets, 7.62mm "Maximis", HK 417's, Heron UAV's, contracted Mil-Mi-26's and so on...

 

[Aussie Digger]

It's already been announced that Australia is buying Mexeflotes & a temporary aircraft shelter for the ship, & they weren't included in the original purchase price. They'll only account for a small part of that $77mn, but every little counts.

Plus the ship is being refitted and pimped out with 25mm Typhoons, 12.7mm Mini-Typhoons, Australian spec comms and nav equipment and so on.

 

[Abraham Gubler]

7.62mm "Maximis"

Which will bizarrely enough be called "Minimi Tri-Rail" in Australian service to differentiate them from the 5.56mm Minimi.

 

[John Newman]

heres a good overview.

Cuts and delays to cost Defence $4.3bn | The Australian

and heres the official page

Budget Measures 2011-12 - Budget Paper No. 2 - Capital Measures - Defence

kinda sad to see the money saved last year wont go back into defence :frown

Its interesting that in the budget paper link, its clear that with the C17 purchase the DCP is being modified to delete the two additional C130s, yes as previously reported.

But there is still no mention that JP2048/4c, strategic sealift ship, is being deleted because of Largs Bay's purchase.

Yes of course Largs is there to fill the gap till the LHD's are in service, but equally, as has been discussed in this forum and others, Largs closely matches the capability of the Phase 4c ship.

Does this mean that the Sealift ships eventual purchase will still go ahead?

Will we eventually, in the 2020's end up with 4 ships in service, 2 LHD's, Largs and the Strategic Sealift Ship?

Or will Largs go early to make way for the Strategic Sea Lift Ship?

It will be interesting see when the next update of the DCP is released if it gives any indication of what might be.

 

[Abraham Gubler]

Its interesting that in the budget paper link, its clear that with the C17 purchase the DCP is being modified to delete the two additional C130s, yes as previously reported.

But there is still no mention that JP2048/4c, strategic sealift ship, is being deleted because of Largs Bay's purchase.

Is this how conspiracy theories are born? The Federal Budget only deals with a five year outlook of spending (and revenue). The two C-130Js were within this time period but the sealift ship was outside it. So the Budget deletes the C-130J program but doesn’t give a hoot about the sealift ship program.

 

[Sea Toby]

It's already been announced that Australia is buying Mexeflotes & a temporary aircraft shelter for the ship, & they weren't included in the original purchase price. They'll only account for a small part of that $77mn, but every little counts.

Australia is also funding a refit that the British weren't, and that refit requires funding too. After all the ship is approaching five years in age, time for the first refit.

 

[Aussie Digger]

Which will bizarrely enough be called "Minimi Tri-Rail" in Australian service to differentiate them from the 5.56mm Minimi.

Er, haven't they got 4x Picatinny rails? Quad rail?



Can't see why they wouldn't just use something OTHER than "Minimi" to differentiate them?

Oh wait, because that would actually make sense...

 

[Volkodav]

Er, haven't they got 4x Picatinny rails? Quad rail?



Can't see why they wouldn't just use something OTHER than "Minimi" to differentiate them?

Oh wait, because that would actually make sense...

We could call it Bert and the HK 417 could then be Ernie. If we ever bought the M-25 it could be Bigbird or Cookie Monster.

Maybe I should just go to bed.........

 

[PeterM]

But there is still no mention that JP2048/4c, strategic sealift ship, is being deleted because of Largs Bay's purchase.

Yes of course Largs is there to fill the gap till the LHD's are in service, but equally, as has been discussed in this forum and others, Largs closely matches the capability of the Phase 4c ship.

Does this mean that the Sealift ships eventual purchase will still go ahead?

Will we eventually, in the 2020's end up with 4 ships in service, 2 LHD's, Largs and the Strategic Sealift Ship?

Or will Largs go early to make way for the Strategic Sea Lift Ship?

I am no expert, but Alexia has mentioned the lightweight construction of the Largs Bay. It could be the Largs Bay is simply a stop gap and is planned to be replaced when the Strategic Sealift Ship is commissioned.

It is interesting that most offical sources have kept the future Strategic Sealift Vessel and the aquisition of the Largs Bay very distinctly separate projects.

If Largs Bay has an expected service life of 20years, it would need replacing around 2025. After rereading the DCP2009, the Strategic Sealift phase of JP2048 is likely to be an ACAT II project and Defence will commence work on developing this
phase for Government consideration beyond 2019.

Seems to me like the timing for consideration of the Strategic Sealift vessel is right around when we would need to be thinking about replacing Largs Bay anyway.

 

[Todjaeger]

I am no expert, but Alexia has mentioned the lightweight construction of the Largs Bay. It could be the Largs Bay is simply a stop gap and is planned to be replaced when the Strategic Sealift Ship is commissioned.

Alexsa was talking about a different Bay-class vessel, he was talking about the aluminum-hulled, ~38 m Bay-class ACV (Australian Customs Vessel) from Austal. The design of which was more or less the predecessor to the Armidale-class APB. Right now Customs is starting a replacement programme which will introduce a new type of ACV, the Cape-class.

Assuming of course that Customs does not go overboard with design requirements and specifications...

-Cheers

 

[SASWanabe]

Largs has completed sea trials and there are no problems

we will also be leasing Aurora Australis in the meantime

Australian Government, Department of Defence - Stephen Smith MP

 

[Milne Bay]

Largs has completed sea trials and there are no problems

we will also be leasing Aurora Australis in the meantime

Interesting that HMAS Tobruk will be out of service for two extended periods of maintenance.
I wonder why the issues can't be addressed in the first period of maintenance?
Puzzled
MB

 

[gf0012-aust]

I wonder why the issues can't be addressed in the first period of maintenance?
Puzzled
MB

because she is absolutely donald ducked....