My bad, should have added, ~excluding Task forces~
I can see where your comming from, I think we just have different view points.
I see the AWD's taking over the FFG role, but adding a lot more projection and protection capabilities. Anzacs for the day to day, making up the numbers and the AWD for the hot and heavy stuff.
Obviously tasking two AWD together would put out a very strong message. The fact they can intergrate into one big network force with other assets from Japan, Korea or the US into a single system means Australia can operate in any enviroment (inc a korean/tiwain war situation). Two AWD can be sustained from Australia's own resources if required.
I also should add, i don't see the ADF relying to much on its own Navy for a full task force, like Timor where the ADF was the Central nation, but more as a Coalition Task Force.
It would be great if we could have a coalition taskforce when ever we wanted. But this won't always be the case. I think Australia should always have in the back of their mind independant operation. The US is going to be flat playing with half a dozen major powers in asia. They have alliances which may be more important than Australia's overseas interests. The US was slow to support Australia in Timor. Not by a great margin, but delayed things. There hands are tied even if they really wanted to help us by what ever is currently being fought and by domestic political issues.
The fact we can form our own independant group is going to make it easier for other minor countries to join our coalition because all the key ingredients are already there, they can just add the icing. If NZ, Singapore, UK, Veitnam, or a excolonial power want to send a frigate or logistics assistance that great, but Australia will provide the backbone of the operation. We can support the operation entirely ourselves. Barely, maybe, but certainly long enough until the US can send something to really turn the tide.
Which is why we got the F-100. So we can do it ourselves. 3 burkes, even if they were Korean style cruisers with 128+ missiles and 10,000t, would not have allowed us to Task force ourselves. Not enough hulls, too reliant on a single vessel, limited by a single set of sensors at a single point, easy to counter a single vessel.
~add another Hobart to the RAN! 5 works better then 4
HMAS Darwin or Newcastle as the 5th?
Would be nice wouldn't it? Most other navies are heading down the 5 or more route. 4 is the absolute minium to do what we want to be able to. 5 would allow more flexability, sustainability, real missile shield capability, viable land strike platform, open up the possibility of Australia supporting two seperate naval operations at the same time (barely and with support). A single hit on a AWD, a bit of damage, and well with only 4 ships that leaves no spare.
But where does the wish list end? Ideally Australia would have 5 AWD's, 3 LHD's, 8 Frigates, 8 Subs, a dozen F-35B's, TacTom, SM-3/6, two RoRo's and 3 High speed cats as well as a strong patrol force. That would be massive. Australia would have one of the most capable blue water navies with one of the strongest amphibious capabilities going. The kind of capability that could stabilise failing nations, enforce peace throughout a entire region and draw other nations in helping us do that.
But 4 is what we need. 3 AWD won't cut it. We need 4. Given the 4th isn't signed off yet, thats a worry.