A bit more on the current visit by the UK Def Min:
UK, Aust to hold defence talks in Perth
Not suprising they want us to join the Type 26 project, so nothing really new about that.
But one paragraph caught my attention, it reads:
"Mr Hammond said the requirement of six frigates in Australia and 13 in the UK meant both countries needed to make their defence dollars go further for maximum military output."
So does the UK Def Min Hammond know something we don't? Australia's requirement "six" and not "eight"?
Could just be just the usual mis-reporting that the media does, or maybe there is more to it and the next White Paper will be cutting the Future Frigate program back to 6.
Just have to wait and see!
EDIT:
Just saw this media release from the Defence Web site:
http://www.minister.defence.gov.au/...efence-philip-hammond-bae-shipyard-henderson/
I'll repeat a couple of the paragraphs:
JOURNALIST: So it seems like a very much British-lead relationship, as you’ve been talking about procurement. What does Australia bring to this relationship that Britain perceives?
PHILIP HAMMOND: Well, on the frigates program our requirements for frigates, I think, yours would be around-do you have a number?
STEPHEN SMITH: Frigates?
PHILIP HAMMOND: Yeah.
STEPHEN SMITH: Half a dozen, six.
PHILIP HAMMOND: Half a dozen. We have a requirement for about 13, so clearly if you’re planning to build a program of 19 frigates you have a lot more potential economies of scale in that, and we will both benefit from those economies of scale.
So there you go, from Smith's mouth "Half a dozen, six".
Looks like the Frigate program is being cut by 25%, so much for supporting Australian shipbuilding, and of course the Navy too!