Royal Australian Navy Discussions and Updates

[aussienscale]

Hi all, just as a quick FYI, have just been chatting to a guy from Coruna who post's a lot of vid's on Youtube, he has just confirmed that Adelaide will launch on the 4th July, he will be taking a video of the launch (He has been invited into the yards), I will post the link when it is up. He has also been told the loading of Canberra onto MV Blue Marlin will commence on 14 Aug, he also intends to take video and time lapse of the operation, I will also post the link as soon as I see it posted

Cheers

 

[Abraham Gubler]

With Australia partly funding the adoption of NSM anti shipping/ land attack missile for the JSF. It follows that it would also be fitted to any future MPA such as the P8.

Australia partly funded a STUDY into the integration of the NSM into the F-35A. There is a project for a RAAF F-35 anti-shipping missile called JP 3023. This project has been separated from a wider air to surface F-35 weapons project expressly to acquire a weapon than can be used from other joint assets (if possible): “Preferably, the solution should be employable from designated ADF strike platforms to minimise the number of types of weapons in the ADF inventory.” So in effect it is a Harpoon or at least an AGM Harpoon replacement. The year of decision on this project is 2016-19 but has probably been pushed back thanks to the latest Defence slashing budget. Clearly NSM will be a leading choice as it is available off-the-shelf in air, helicopter and surface launched versions. Also the NSM is able to fit inside the weapons bays of the F-35A allowing for a very stealthy approach to the target.

 

[gf0012-aust]

It’s not a bad idea. You could name a whole class along these lines: HMA Ships Inala, Maroubra, Mount Barker, Dandenong, Snowtown, Hall’s Creek, etc. As the Iron Duke said:

“I don't know if they frighten the enemy, but they scare the hell out of me.”

HMAS Albion Park, Noble Park, Redfern, Elizabeth

endless possibilities.....

 

[alexsa]

Ahh of course... its a shield...

Here it is on that vessel tracker. Not to be confused with the Egyptian Navy's "Ocean Shield"... Opps...

OCEAN SHIELD - Vessel's Details and Current Position - 9628374 - 503728000

It was tracked sailing down the African coast two weeks ago so should be not far from Australia by now.

On the coast and headed for Sydney..................... eventually.

 

[Tee_Centre_10]

On the coast and headed for Sydney..................... eventually.

Just in the nick of time to take over the amphibious/disaster relief role from the disabled Choules. I'm sure everyone is feeling relieved that inconvenient capability hole has been so neatly plugged. And all for such a reasonable price.

On a completely unrelated matter, I always find it interesting to see news vision of the Leeuwin-class survey vessels being used to support Operation Resolute.
Almost as if a 2000-odd-ton vessel with high endurance and aviation and boat handling facilities is suitable for border protection duties up north, especially around Christmas Island. They should commission a study into it.

 

[Tee_Centre_10]

Could anyone please confirm what we're hearing here in Spain that the RAN is going to lease the new Spanish AOR Cantabria A15 for one year WITH spanish crew included so they can asses the good and bad points of the design?

I mean I have been hering the rumour for one week and seeing that the Aussie Navy needs two or three Replenishment oilers.

This is one of those moments that restores my faith in the Internet for a full 5 minutes. A speculative rumour based on "I've heard..." that has actually come true. Unbelievable!

SPS Cantabria will be in Australian waters from Feb to Nov 2013.

Also press release regarding arrival of Ocean Shield.

 

[Volkodav]

Almost as if a 2000-odd-ton vessel with high endurance and aviation and boat handling facilities is suitable for border protection duties up north, especially around Christmas Island. They should commission a study into it.

You mean to suggest that the RAN should be looking at something about that size and capability as an EEZ patrol asset? I could be mistaken but the RAN does appear to have been trying to acquire a class Corvettes / OPVs / Light Destroyers to replace the capabilities once covered by our Sloops, Bathurst Class Corvettes and River / Bay Class Frigates for several decades now. The Attack, Fremantle and Armadale class PBs have never actually been what was needed rather what was funded at the time, usually after another project for a more suitable design was killed off by politics or scope creep.

 

[old faithful]

Was Pas GM 81 - 96, Kailis GM until 03 and Arafura consultant til 10
Cheers

GM! LOL! I was a shell cleaner /barramundi catcher. Job suited me, funded my fishing guide research. Fantastic locations, and also served a useful purpose for NORFORCE.

 

[mankyle]

HMAS Adelaide looks very pretty. She's being painted and prepped for her launch on July 4th. Look at Roisbalo's latest pictures of her in the RAN topic at www.fotosdebarcos.com

http://www.fotosdebarcos.org/viewtopic.php?t=29106

 

[ngatimozart]

HMAS Adelaide looks very pretty. She's being painted and prepped for her launch on July 4th. Look at Roisbalo's latest pictures of her in the RAN topic at fotosdebarcos.com / fotosdebarcos.org :: Índice

fotosdebarcos.com / fotosdebarcos.org :: Ver tema - 03 HMAS Adelaide

Man that looks impressive. You don't really appreciate the size unitl you see the second to last photo with the person walking out on the mole in the foreground.

 

[Jezza]

This is one of those moments that restores my faith in the Internet for a full 5 minutes. A speculative rumour based on "I've heard..." that has actually come true. Unbelievable!

SPS Cantabria will be in Australian waters from Feb to Nov 2013.

Is this a test run to possible purchase of the type down the road??

 

[John Newman]

This is one of those moments that restores my faith in the Internet for a full 5 minutes. A speculative rumour based on "I've heard..." that has actually come true. Unbelievable!

SPS Cantabria will be in Australian waters from Feb to Nov 2013.

Is this a test run to possible purchase of the type down the road??

I've got an idea, why dont we help our Spanish friends (with their stuffed economy), buy Cantabria outright (at a discount), and also save the waste of money on repairing Success!!

Maybe also do a deal with them for a replacement for Sirius at the same time!


And with Ocean Shield about to arrive, FBE's wharf space must be starting to get a bit crowded with all the stuffed, sick and terminally ill ships tied up.

Must be time to open up the "reserve fleet" morings at Athol Bight again, move Kanimbla, Manoora, Tobruk, Success and the slightly ill Choules.......

 

[t68]

This is one of those moments that restores my faith in the Internet for a full 5 minutes. A speculative rumour based on "I've heard..." that has actually come true. Unbelievable!

SPS Cantabria will be in Australian waters from Feb to Nov 2013.

Is this a test run to possible purchase of the type down the road??

I would imagine if they are embedding RAN pers on her whist she is conducting training with the RAN, then yep they are evaluating her. Spain is doing nicely out of out of the RAN if it gets up it will be good timing for Navantia( if we don’t build here in Australia) so soon after Nuship Adelaide is built.

Ship of shame's $200m price tag

PROJECT SEA 1654 – MARITIME OPERATIONAL SUPPORT CAPABILITY | Australian Defence News & Articles | Asia Pacific Defence Reporter

BRAVE class replenishment and support ship datasheet pictures photos video specifications

 

[StoresBasher]

Success is an old ship that is knackered.
It wouldn't matter how much you spent on her, she is well past her use by date.
We should have looked and identified a replacement a long time ago.

 

[Volkodav]

Success is an old ship that is knackered.
It wouldn't matter how much you spent on her, she is well past her use by date.
We should have looked and identified a replacement a long time ago.

That’s the point most people miss, Success, Kanimbla, Manoora and Tobruk are old ships that were all scheduled to be replaced before or around now. In fact the early nineties plan was for Tobruk to be replaced by Kanimbla and Manoora in the late nineties with them and Success due to be retired by 2015, i.e. the plan made well before September 11 2001 and the hard service all have seen ever since.

The RAN should be congratulated for achieving as much as they have with the worn out life limited assets that were left with to do an unplanned unbudgeted job with over the last decade and a bit. The 90s plan was based on peace time usage, not Fiji coups, Timor, War on Terror, border protection etc. the proposed retirement and replacement dates were always a stretch that I am absolutely stunned we almost achieved.

I can’t help but wonder that but for all the media attention surrounding the “Children Overboard” carry on, the RAN would still be trying to protect our borders with Fremantle Class Patrol Boats, held together with string and chewing gum, following the cancellation of the corvettes that had been planned to replace them. Would the Collins Class have had as much money wasted on them had it not been a political / media issue? Rather than a minimum upgrade and get well program that just got the job done without the grandstanding we had a three ring circus that tried to redesign and respecify the whole submarine, without actually fixing many of the already known and easily fixed issues.

It is politically popular to hammer the RAN and Australian industry for the current maintenance issues but there is a need to look at the big picture. What was the original plan, intended usage, force levels etc? Look into it and you will see that the RAN was meant to have a larger, newer, more capable fleet by now than has actually eventuated.

 

[John Newman]

That’s the point most people miss, Success, Kanimbla, Manoora and Tobruk are old ships that were all scheduled to be replaced before or around now. In fact the early nineties plan was for Tobruk to be replaced by Kanimbla and Manoora in the late nineties with them and Success due to be retired by 2015, i.e. the plan made well before September 11 2001 and the hard service all have seen ever since.

The RAN should be congratulated for achieving as much as they have with the worn out life limited assets that were left with to do an unplanned unbudgeted job with over the last decade and a bit. The 90s plan was based on peace time usage, not Fiji coups, Timor, War on Terror, border protection etc. the proposed retirement and replacement dates were always a stretch that I am absolutely stunned we almost achieved.

I can’t help but wonder that but for all the media attention surrounding the “Children Overboard” carry on, the RAN would still be trying to protect our borders with Fremantle Class Patrol Boats, held together with string and chewing gum, following the cancellation of the corvettes that had been planned to replace them. Would the Collins Class have had as much money wasted on them had it not been a political / media issue? Rather than a minimum upgrade and get well program that just got the job done without the grandstanding we had a three ring circus that tried to redesign and respecify the whole submarine, without actually fixing many of the already known and easily fixed issues.

It is politically popular to hammer the RAN and Australian industry for the current maintenance issues but there is a need to look at the big picture. What was the original plan, intended usage, force levels etc? Look into it and you will see that the RAN was meant to have a larger, newer, more capable fleet by now than has actually eventuated.

I agree with what you are saying, but don't think anyone here is trying to kick the boys and girls of the RAN who are chipping away at the coal face, you can only work with the tools you are given.

Its a failure a lot further up the tree, wether its totally the various Goverment(s) fault or at higher levels of defence, who knows, maybe both.

For a country that spends $20+ billion a year on defence, it is crazy that the navy, and the other services as well, find themselves in these positions.

Deferment, etc, always seems to cost so much more in the end and also the endless waste of maintaining things that are way way past their use by dates.

Will it ever change? Probably not, all us taxpayers will have to keep footing the bill!

 

[t68]

Not meaning to get into politics, buts its true what volkodov is referring to if governments can see past the next three years not one government looks at the next 20 years. Bill and Ben is a case in point by doing it on the cheap it comes around and bites you on the arse, with the money spent on those to we could have had a 2 Whidbey Island class LSD for $150 million USD in 1985.

Name________Number__Builder___Cost___Ordered Commissioned
Whidbey Island LSD-41__Lockheed $339 M _ 1981 _ 1985 (includes lead ship charges, laid down 1981)
Germantown __ LSD-42__Avondale $304 M _ 1982 _ 1986 (includes lead ship charges)
Fort McHenry __ LSD-43__Lockheed $272 M _ 1983 _ 1987
Gunston Hall __ LSD-44__Avondale $167 M _ 1984 _ 1989
Comstock _____ LSD-45__Avondale $153 M _ 1984 _ 1990
Tortuga ______ LSD-46__Avondale $153 M _ 1984 _ 1990
Rushmore _____LSD-47__Avondale $149 M _ 1985 _ 1991
Ashland ______LSD-48__Avondale $149 M _ 1985 _ 1992 (laid down 1988)


The 4 "cargo variant" versions were built as follows:
Harpers Ferry __ LSD-49 __ Avondale Shipyard $157 M _ 1988 _ 1995 ($324.2 including lead ship charges, laid down 1991)
Carter Hall ____ LSD-50 __ Avondale Shipyard $128 M _ 1989 _ 1995
Oak Hill ______ LSD-51 __ Avondale Shipyard $135 M _ 1991 _ 1996
Pearl Harbor ___ LSD-52 _ Avondale Shipyard $258 M _ 1993 _ 1998 (laid down 1995)


Ahh hindsight is a wonderful thing.
Federation of American Scientists :: LSD-49 Harpers Ferry class
Federation of American Scientists :: LSD-41 Whidbey Island class

 

[t68]

I know we are not supposed to refer to other forums, but whist looking for information I found this little gem about a little bit of history with HMAS Melbourne and her Tracker aircraft.

An utterly daft question about aircraft carriers - PPRuNe Forums

That would have been interesting to see!!!

 

[mankyle]

I'm just coming from visiting the Spanish cousin of the Canberra and Adelaide LHDs, the SPS Juan Carlos I. She is visiting my home city of Alicante in the east coast of Spain and I must say that it's HUGE.

They have let us visit almost every part of the ship.
Heavy vehicle deck, hangar deck, flight deck, control room Air Ops room, everything....
I work for a german company that has provided the theater beds and anesthesiology breathers for the ship's hospital and I asked my bosses to see whether they could arrange a visit but it wasn't possible.

Coming back to the ship. IT'S HUGE.

They had inside a couple GD piranhas, half a dozen Hummers, two landing crafts plus six Harriers, and four choppers.
It looked very empty. I mean, the hangar is SO big you could transport the whole Flotilla de Aeronaves inside this ship (the flotilla de aeronaves is the Spanish Navy Fleet Air Arm).
For you aussies, the Canberra and Adelaide will represent a serious improvement in terms of force projection.

I found very funny seeing the crew's motorbikes stored in the heavy vehicle deck. One of the soldiers there told me that the crew is allowed to transport bikes inside the ship during a cruise.

The only thing I didn't like was the lack of self defense weapons. I hope you aussies add a couple RAM launchers, or a VLS with ESSMs because as it is, a ship like this is a floating duck.

I took a couple pics.

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/486507_10150948986677017_1619875364_n.jpg

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/483383_10150948989517017_1466199398_n.jpg

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/394764_10150948985207017_1981989770_n.jpg

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/582018_10150948980162017_1044383879_n.jpg

Sorry for the crappy quality of the pictures.

If you want more pictures, the ship will stay in Cartagena (another city 130 kms from my own) until Wednesday. I could arrange another visit to take more pictures

 

[mankyle]

This text has been posted at www.infodefensa.com. An spanish military news website.

Navantia botará en Ferrol el segundo buque para la Armada Australiana | Infodefensa

I give here the translation:


The second strategic projection ship (LHD) built by Navantia for the Royan Australian Navy will be launched in Ferrol on next July 4th in a ceremony where ill attend the spanish Defense secretary, Pedro Argüelles, the Commander in Chief of the Royal Australian Navy, Viceadmiral Ray Griggs and the Commander in Chief of the Spanish Navy, general admiral Manuel Rebollo García.

Navantia's CEO, José Manuel Revuelta and BAE Systems Australia CEO, David Allott will also attend to this ceremony.

The ship will be christened with the name of Adelaide and will enter service in 2015. The launch of the first LHD, the Camberra, was held last year and it will enter service in 2014..

These two ships, very similar to the spanish Juan Carlos I, with 27.000 tons wil provide the Royal Austrlian Navy with one of the most capable and advanced amphibious land-air-sea sistems in the world, and when they enter service the will be the biggest warhships the Royal Australian Navy have ever had, informs the Austrlian embassy in Spain.

Australian Ambassador, Zorica McCarthy, praised the excellent work done by Navantia, company she named as an extraordinary partner and shwed her confidence in future collaborations during the near future. McCarthy also pointed that the cooperation between the two navies has also grown and now they consider close allies each other.

During the last few years , Australia and Spain España have reinforce their growing commerce and investment relationship, intensifying their relationship policies in diferent areas of common interests.

As the ambassador points, Astralia has a big list of other naval adquisition proposals, some of them will probably be of interest for Navantia. Among them there are the ones directed to the adquisition of Oiler Replenishment Ships, OPVs, submarines and frigates.

Interest for the S-80

The embassy also informed that admiral Griggs will visit next wee the Nval base in Cartagena and Navantia's yards, where he will be informed about the S-80 submarines project.

Australia intends to procure twelve submarines and is considering all options, including an australia design. It is planned to arrive to a decision about the design and test instalations this very year, finally approving a project programmed for 2017.

In case we would choos to modofy an already existing design, Navantia's S-80 desing would be one of the candidates.



Sorry mates if I have written something which is not correct. I think I manage a pretty good english but sometimes the false friends and language traps are difficult to avoid.