Royal Australian Navy Discussions and Updates
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I'm Labor leaning myself but am starting to wish they'd remained in opposition until Gillard, Swan and the other hacks got bored and found real jobs. IMHO the thought of Howard having won and then handing over to Costello or Turnbull is far more palatable than the our current situation of Gillard and Swan (possibly the worst PM Treasurer team to date) to be followed by Abbott and Hockey (who could very well trump them for that distinction).
weegee
Active Member
HMAS Choules
Hey guys do we have any news on HMAS Choules? I know when she had the failure some people were quoting up to 6-12 months on the side line. Does this still stand true or could it be the usual Australian media over reaction and dramatisation we have all come to expect?
Hey guys do we have any news on HMAS Choules? I know when she had the failure some people were quoting up to 6-12 months on the side line. Does this still stand true or could it be the usual Australian media over reaction and dramatisation we have all come to expect?
Six months still seems to be the figure being thrown around, I doubt a detailed assessment and plan of the situation has been addressed as of yet so the work has probably not fully began as of yet. I have not been up to Garden Island of late so no idea if she’s in dry dock yet should that be required. The news was that the Tobruk was out of drydock and ready for service when ADV Ocean Shield arrived so I imagine that dock is where the Choules will end up should she not already be in it.
I imagine that a formal timetable will be outlined within the coming weeks, likely when parliament resumes and cabinet reports in.
I imagine that a formal timetable will be outlined within the coming weeks, likely when parliament resumes and cabinet reports in.
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i can not even begin to describe the anger and bewilderment of this from the guys based in Sydney right now. The "peak" period for these cruise liners is Oct-Feb, and the peak maintanence time for the RAN is...Oct-Feb, as this is when most ships return for repairs and crew rest, leave etc.
At this stage Reduced Activity Period may as well be cancelled, as ships will be subject to cruise ships operations, and will be required to move over their 4 weeks leave break. so look for sailors flying home from across the country, on their own dime now that our 2 flights home have been cut since last budget. If i had a call to come in and move so that cruise liners were coming in, id make sure it went to voicemail and id deal with it after RAP.
Theres 4 FFGs, 3 FFH, Choules, Success and Tobruk all set to be alongside at the end of the year, a West based FFH is scheduled for next MEAO rotation, so this will be the first full base for christmas in a few years. Theirs 6 berths parrell to cowper wharf road, then West wall, followed by 2 contractor berths on the Island. so 8 spots, count in success or choules requires 2 of the berth, 5A and 5B, when in, and then it cuts it down to 7 frigates in 4 berths. Those that live in the finger wharf hate having ships double parked down their end, so they try over RAP to leave it at single berth. theres 2 spots out, so now 5 frigates in 2 berths. If we flood the dock, then we can squeeze 2 ships in, but it doesnt allow any dry dock work over RAP which is when Thales use it for commercial repairs. So either they lose money(Aha!) or theres 2 spots we cannot utlise. That leaves 2 berths again for 5 frigates, now we dont like to have 3 frigates outboard, as it requires readjustments of lines and would push them to close to the naval waters line, creating a Force Protection issue. now this is without considering a f**king cruise liner trying to take 3 berths, 4 as i recall when it was used they took up more room.
When the announcement was made, of course FBE is empty, so people drive past and make the assumption thats normal, but its not. This doesnt even take into consideration the Spanish AOR that arrives in March...so theres another berth!
Ad to that the cost of tugs to move the ships around.
Plus the 2 LHD coming, just boggles the mind...
Plus the 2 LHD coming, just boggles the mind...
Navy warships: Sits in harbour empty most of the time with the only noise the rattling chains.
Cruise Ship: Significant portion of lights on during the night, likelihood of some parties and events being held on board which means music and the like. Large shuffling of tourists in and out of the boat throughout the day.
And which do the locals prefer...
Cruise Ship: Significant portion of lights on during the night, likelihood of some parties and events being held on board which means music and the like. Large shuffling of tourists in and out of the boat throughout the day.
And which do the locals prefer...
Still absolutely no detail on how this will work or should I say, end up as a complete and utter shitfight.
Aunty has finally run a story basically saying what a completely stupid idea this is (well ADA is). Cruise ships accused of 'stealing' naval base - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Having discharged very recently this is just another example of the crap that has reinforced to me, my decision to get the hell off the sinking ship that is Defence was the bloody correct choice.
Aunty has finally run a story basically saying what a completely stupid idea this is (well ADA is). Cruise ships accused of 'stealing' naval base - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Having discharged very recently this is just another example of the crap that has reinforced to me, my decision to get the hell off the sinking ship that is Defence was the bloody correct choice.
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- #9,072
Wow, amazed that ABC has let that slip through their censors...seems anti-govt from a distance.
Ive already said how stupid the decision is.
ive only re-signed for 2 years and waiting on current application to get through before swallowing the anchor
The government wants visits by the huge cruise liners but don't wish to fund a new cruise ship terminal suitable for a huge cruise liner. Double talk. Somehow the small Caribbean islands are able to fund a new cruise terminal suitable for the huge cruise liners.
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- #9,074
hell disney cruises were that desperate not to boat people ashore, they bought an island then built a dedicated pier...in the middle of nowhere
They most amusing part about this is that the cruise liners dont want to have to go to anchor and then boat people ashore, which is there main complaint as they have had to. Yet this is not a problem when they sail from sydney through the pacific islands. If they really were desperate, they would sail from newcastle or botany bay rather then sydney harbour. yes it is wonderful, and yes you can add $500 to the ticket for doing it, but why do we jump when they tell us to?
StevoJH
The Bunker Group
So, *if* this is going to be an ongoing issue. Could Waterhen be expanded or Cockatoo Island be brought online and Commissioned as part of FBE?
The dry dock there if salvagable should be sufficient for frigate and destroyer refits, it does mean the RAN would need an expanded security force and a fleet of small freighters to move supplies though. And it would provide basically unlimited dock space for the smaller fleet units, plus a return of shipbuilding to Sydney if someone got *really* ambitious.
Are K & M still tied up at FBE taking up a berth?
The dry dock there if salvagable should be sufficient for frigate and destroyer refits, it does mean the RAN would need an expanded security force and a fleet of small freighters to move supplies though. And it would provide basically unlimited dock space for the smaller fleet units, plus a return of shipbuilding to Sydney if someone got *really* ambitious.
Are K & M still tied up at FBE taking up a berth?
There is no real date when the work will be completed.
We (the ships) company don't even know, we have been given a rough idea though.
Tobruk is indeed back in service and no longer alongside anymore.
Tobruk was off Shoalwater Bay doing amphib training during Ex HAMEL.
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- #9,078
Waterhens too shallow, need a lot of work dredging before we could use it for Majors, and would need to extend wharfs and expand area which will stir the neighbours to no end. Cockatoo Island was gifted to the heritage trust years ago, and the navy no longer has any control over it. Kinda of like selling your house then demanding access to it every now and then. The navy still control Specatcle Island for storage.
Kanimbla and Manoora are still on oiler wharf as of last week(?!?) and are expected to be handed over to contractors for disposal, and should be moved to wharfs near Anzac bridge at some point.
Ozymandias
Banned Member
I like the suggestion earlier in the thread, NSW government builds Navy a new site at Jervis Bay. They can pay for it out of cruise ship revenue. I can't believe Gillard is out there doing favours for a Liberal state government?
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- #9,080
Theres a rare and endangered sea weed in JB and thats why i cant build a base there... I kid you not, that was the reason the navy found years ago to prevent moving out of sydney! The sheer cost of moving is ridiculous, then building the facitilites, housing for personnel, not to mention the impact on an already tight housing market in the area dominated by navy from creswell and albatross, would see the local town boom and bust, and basically destroy morale for those stuck there as sydney is at least a base in the city, and not in the sticks like the army get. If we're moving its brissie or bust!
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