As far as I am awere we only have 8 P8 on order, and have not heard any more on the BAMS supplementary aircraft.
Whist I agree the future equipment is of a higher quality but they can only be in one place at a time.
My reference is to the current list equipment of the RAN, namely the Anzac and the Collins. We have 24 MH60R on order and that is expected to achieve 8 operation aircraft for the Anzacs which can only carry one helicopter.
At the moment we are flat out sustaing one frigate on a rotational basis in the ME, one the LHD fully worked up will be the priority tasking for escort duties, in our case eight is not enough.
Six Collins to be replaced by ? submarine the way this current goverment is going we all know twelve is pigs might fly stuff but I hope they go thru with it
So would you be happy with the idea of reducing the Frigate fleet in order to achieve the proposed(Volks idea)capabilty increase with ASW helicopter carrier which can have more MH60R in the air at any one time
I should make it clear I am not suggesting a further reduction in numbers but rather a trade off in capability. i.e. a small number of very capable vessels supported by a larger number of less specialised GP frigates that are specifically designed to be easily upgraded through their service lives. I am not talking "for but not with" as seen with the ANZACs but rather that they would initially be fully capable and equipped with systems cascaded from the ANZAC ASMDs but unlike the ANZACs and more like the Spuances, would be specifically designed to be upgraded into full DDGs, with land attack capability, if required.
So basically the ideal would be eight large, highly automated (small crew) frigates, initially reusing ASMDsystems, more effectively and efficiently on a much more capable and modern platform (all electric propulsion, more seaworthy, much larger margins) that could be fully upgraded into land attack and ABM capable DDGs with AUSPAR etc. The minimum would be eight smaller frigates, purpose designed to use the current ASMD systems to greater effect than on the current ANZACs with their space and stability issues. Either option would be significantly cheaper and offer superior through life potential, than Johnstons F-100 based Frankenfrigates.
The whole idea of reducing the cost, but not effectiveness of the replacement frigates, is to free up money to acquire a transformational capability to support the AWDs. My prefered option here would be a 20-30,000t DDH, with ASW, MCM, CSAR, AEW and possibly attack helicopters, designed to be re-roled as a light carrier with a dozen or more F-35B, UAV/UCAV and maybe tilt rotors in addition to the helicopters.
On the subs, I am very much of the opinion that unless they can be acquired through FMS they should be as a minimum, fabricated and assembled locally. An FMS acquisition would pretty much have to be then current block Virginias. Any other foreign design / build option is IMO, based on Australian and overseas experience, far too risky in terms of performance, cost, schedule and sustainment.
Finally, we absolutely have to, as a bare minimum, replace the ACPBs with OPVs. A far preferable option would be a family of modular, multirole combatants, covering EEZ (and international in support of the UN) patrol, MCM, ASW, survey and independent low end combat tasks in a low threat environment, or higher end missions in support of (and under the protection of) the RANs major combatants.
