Outstanding marketing by Eurocopter, expert lobbying by Queensland, an anti-American bent in some senior sirs and public servants, a poor understanding of the true risks, costs and developmental nature of the project by the key decision makers and the government of the days uninformed belief that it was the cheaper, less risky option.
There really hasn't been a great deal of movement/change since last November, I thought I read somewhere of potential delays/issues with the sea trials...
I realize this is off topic but regarding SEA 1000, I remember reading sometime ago, in an edition of Navy magazine of a concept design called the Stoker and Hudspeth. Essentially this was a scaled down Virginia class hull. What I found interesting to say the least in terms of propulsion technology was the use of HTS motors and Lithium Ion batteries. Do you believe that HTS motors are technologically mature enough to be seriously considered for SEA 1000?
Solid program, should produce a very capable system working in conjunction with an ARG, although IIRC weren't future growth margins an issue?
And some video accompanying the news Department of Defence - Navy
I'd be waiting for commercial shipping to pick it up as thats what will drive developments
what sort of stuff out of curiosity (if its not sensitive) its a good helo from all the reports and seems to benefit from the more powerful engine especially in (Afghanistan)
Yes, about time we got some aircraft carriers to support all of our battleships, especially those hard working ones protecting our borders!:haha
Soon? will it coincide with the arrival of Adelaide I wonder?
most of it was about survivability - and the onboard systems being absolutely trustworthy.
Makes you wonder what sort of sustainment savings could have been achieved if the attack helo (whoops I mean purely peaceful scout helo), troop lift helo, additional troop lift helo, asw helo and asvw helo (plus maybe tactical airlifter) all used the same core engine? Apache, Blackhawk, Merlin, Seahawk and CASA C235, or even just the same aircraft we bought but select the CT7 / T700 versions.
The WAH-64 (variant of the AH-64D Blk I) had superior performance in places like Afghan because of stuff like more powerful engines (difference of ~400hp all in all IIRC) meaning that it had the oomph to carry Longbow in theater, however Block III effectively negates this and gave us a problem because ours are too different* from standard for the upgrade to be easy.
To me, it looked like the journo had listened and got it right....but the intro writer back in the newsroom had a look and decided "it's grey and has flat deck...so therefore, it is an aircraft carrier"
Well, the intro writer back at the newsroom should get the sack for being so wrong and stupid misinforming the Australian public who watches his network. No excuses either.