Royal Australian Navy Discussions and Updates

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ASSAIL

ASSAIL

The Bunker Group
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Volkodav

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
ASSAIL said:
It obviously pissed off CN enough to release the following rebuttal
Defence News and Media » Submarine reporting in The Australian, 25 September 2013
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All I have to say is well said. I think we have a particularly good CN at the moment and we can only hope his term is extended or that he is promoted further.

It will be interesting to see if the new government takes service advice on what is required from future platforms or whether they will head down their own tracks again, falling for the various power point sales pitches and too good to be true deals that were too good to be true.
 
John Fedup

John Fedup

The Bunker Group
ngatimozart said:
The Berlin class is quite expensive. The three RCN ships are modified Berlin class and will cost US$2.58 billion. They will be desgned to operate in the Arctic ice fields around Canadas northern coast. Canada’s C$ 2.9B “Joint Support Ship” Project, Take 3 Bear in mind that Canadas military procurement system has some rather unique challenges.
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"Canada's military procurement system has some rather unique challenges." You should be a diplomat for putting it so mildly. As a Cdn, I would call it dysfunctional and it is not just the politicians, it's just as much DND's fault. The two good things about our JSS project are it is only a 15 year horror story that hasn't cost much (yet) as compared to our totally screwed up 30 plus year naval helicopter project which has cost 1 billion and we still don't if the Cyclones will ever arrive meeting specifications.
 
alexsa

alexsa

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jack412 said:
Who was the mob that assessed the Bay class for us, because we were incompetent?
Lets flick the Collens over to them
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Pithy comment; I doubt Teekay would know much about Submarines or could provide any advice on how to deal with an ageing platform that is a Submarine.
 
J

jack412

Active Member
alexsa said:
Pithy comment; I doubt Teekay would know much about Submarines or could provide any advice on how to deal with an ageing platform that is a Submarine.
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Sorry, I should have boxed in [/sarcasm]

edit .....response to alexa below to save another post

OK silly me..I got your meaning now..Initially thought you were referring to my post and not prefacing yours
 
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rand0m

Member
What are the serious contenders for SEA 1180 at this particular point in time? Austal MRV80? Navantia BAM? An indigenous BAE/Tenix design? A Legend-class National Security Cutter?
 
John Newman

John Newman

The Bunker Group
rand0m said:
What are the serious contenders for SEA 1180 at this particular point in time? Austal MRV80? Navantia BAM? An indigenous BAE/Tenix design? A Legend-class National Security Cutter?
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The problem with SEA 1180 at the moment is that in the 2013 Defence White Paper the (then) Government pushed that project onto the back burner to be considered at a future date.

And of course since then we've had the recent change of Government and until they produce their own DWP in 18 mths time, it will be anyone's guess if they go with the same plan or put the SEA 1180 project back to the front of the queue or change the project altogether into something else.

And that 'something else' could well be Littoral Combat Ships, (have a look back at my post on page 763, post #11435), where the new Def Min was interviewed by The Australian, one of the things he was quoted as saying was:

"The navy needed to consider vessels such as the small and highly manoeuvrable but well-armed littoral combat ships that were already being built in Australia for the US Navy.

"They are fast, cost effective and relatively easily built and very flexible and versatile. Our navy needs a suitable mix of high-end war-fighting capabilities, such as the Air Warfare Destroyers and smaller vessels such as patrol boats and light, fast frigates," Senator Johnston said.
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.

He is a WA Senator, so maybe he is pushing a product from Austal, (don't take any notice of the line in the quote about those ships being build here for the USN, I hope it was the journalist(?) confusing the fact that Austal is building them in the US for the USN).

So the problem is, in my opinion, is that we just don't and won't know where SEA 1180 stands in the scheme of things till we see the new DWP.
 
T

the road runner

Active Member
Happy 100th Birthday RAN.

Went and had a look at the International Fleet Review(before and after work) as they came into the heads this morning ,what a sight it is seeing all these ships in the harbour.I was lucky enough to see a Sea Hawk and Bell 429 helicopter up close and during start up and take off.

I have put a few pictures up of the 2 helicopters in the RAN section in "Pictures" on DT Was having a chat to some RAN's sailor who informed me that a few MRH-90 will be down at the HMAS Penguin tomorrow on the oval.

If anyone is interested i uploaded a few short videos on my youtube page of the Sea Hawks and Bell 429's.Its not the best camera work or camera

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FyfQoa4kVg"]Bell 429 Royal Australian Navy Helicopter - YouTube[/nomedia]


[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOe0eyOYVK4"]Sea Hawk Royal Australian Navy Helicopter Hovering - YouTube[/nomedia]

Cheers
 
T

the road runner

Active Member
Gday Guys have a few more videos of helicopters from the RAN Royal Fleet review.
I was down at HMAS Penguin on Saturday the 5th October 2013 and the oval was being used as a staging ground to place RAN Ensign of helicopter and also to refuel helicopters. Got quiet a few videos/photos of old and new helicopters flying around.

At one stage there were 10 helicopter on the oval.Have posted a few photos in the "PHOTO" section on DT under " AuS-Navy" and will up load a few more.

EDIT.. Mods there was no Fleet Air Arm for the RAN in photo sections so i just put the pictures in "Aus Navy and Other " section in photos . Hope thats ok

Those MRH-90 do look like a very big helicopter compared to the Sea Hawks.Was very impressive to able to see helicopters all lined up and get a feel for the different sizes of them.

The line up aircraft was
*Bell 429
*UH-1
*Kiowa
*Squirrel
*Sea Hawks
*MRH-90

Looks like 171 Squadron will retire the Kiowa and then get the armys Black hawks,or so i was told.

Enjoy

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vae2gS4YbA4"]S 70B 2Landing - YouTube[/nomedia]


[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxAkVywrlpA"]MRH 90 Start up - YouTube[/nomedia]


[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgVmJQbCNJg"]UH 1 Iroquois and Bell 429 - YouTube[/nomedia]


[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_8_qYQFYss"]MRH 90 Take off and landing - YouTube[/nomedia]


[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTLN5jqiNnA"]MRH 90 Take off - YouTube[/nomedia]


[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zbwow8yaUFM"]S 70B-2 Seahawk flying the RAN ensign - YouTube[/nomedia]


[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iB2WSECdqn0"]S 70B 2 Ensign drop - YouTube[/nomedia]


[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9SBWzvAHns"]RAN UH-1 - YouTube[/nomedia]


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9SBWzvAHns&feature=youtu.be



There is quiet a few more videos on my channel of helicopters on the 2 days, 4th and 5th October.
 
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rand0m

Member
the road runner said:
Those MRH-90 do look like a very big helicopter compared to the Sea Hawks.Was very impressive to able to see helicopters all lined up and get a feel for the different sizes of them.
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Great pics & vids, are there plans to equip the MRH-90 with side mounted weapons as per the Blackhawks?
 
T

the road runner

Active Member
rand0m said:
Great pics & vids, are there plans to equip the MRH-90 with side mounted weapons as per the Blackhawks?
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Cheers mate , have uploaded some more pictures of MRH-90 ,UH-1,Squirels,Kiowa Sea Hawks ,but they have not been approved yet by DT.

I am sure they would add side mounter weapons ,sure someone else will shed light on that question
 
John Newman

John Newman

The Bunker Group
rand0m said:
Great pics & vids, are there plans to equip the MRH-90 with side mounted weapons as per the Blackhawks?
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Here's a couple of links to look at, first one is a photo of an Italian machine with door gunner and gun:

File:Ex Italian Call 2011 006.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Second is from the HN website showing cabin configurations, this one showing the position of the door guns:

TTH Configuration - NHIndustries


One thing I do remember reading a couple of years back is when the German Army produce a report on problems it had identified with its NH90's, one of the points was in relation to the positioning of the gun, in that the gun could not be operated effectively when troops and loads are entering or exiting the aircraft.

And looking at the photos in the links, it does appear that the gun is mounted right in the middle of the door opening, be interesting if the ADF has also identified this as an issue too.

But getting back to the question, I suppose it would be reasonable to assume that if the Army and Navy MRH-90's are armed, it will probably be as per the configuration above.
 
H

htbrst

Active Member
John Newman said:
And looking at the photos in the links, it does appear that the gun is mounted right in the middle of the door opening, be interesting if the ADF has also identified this as an issue too.

But getting back to the question, I suppose it would be reasonable to assume that if the Army and Navy MRH-90's are armed, it will probably be as per the configuration above.
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Another photo of an RNZAF NH-90's door mounted gun close up which gives more of an idea about how much space is available either side.

[ame]http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af234/Jamo_kiwi/RNZAF%20NH%2090%20helicopter/P1030076_zps8308a879.jpg[/ame]

It is mounted slightly to toward the rear, but you can see just how much of the opening is taken up
 
John Newman

John Newman

The Bunker Group
rand0m said:
The LHD is on the move!

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/newuploads/g5ly8.jpg

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/newuploads/o7r1b.jpg

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/newuploads/9n49v.jpg

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/newuploads/qp2qm.jpg
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Yes indeed she does appear to have moved, but it also appears that with all the stuff still on the flight deck and what appears to be 'scaffolding' on the mast too that she is not quiet up to 'sea trial' stage yet.


On another news regarding 'Nuships', from the Defence website, Hobart's Aegis tower block has been lifted into place:

Defence Ministers » Minister for Defence – Aegis tower lifted onto Hobart

Unfortunately (as at the moment) the supplied link at the bottom of the article doesn't seem to be working, I'm sure we will see some pics of this in the coming days.


And one more thing on 'potential' new naval ship building projects, also from the Defence website, an interview over the weekend with the new Def Min:

Defence Ministers » Interview with Celina Edmonds, Sky News, Garden Island Sydney

The relevant paragraph is:

Johnston: Absolutely, when you look at the size of the US Navy, the Royal Navy, the PLA Navy, when we have got about 14,000 sailors and they have got hundreds of thousands of sailors on very many large boats. The challenge for Australia when have about 23 million people to defend our massive maritime environment is to have a cost effective but efficient fast boats and ships. That is the challenge for every government and we are looking at trying to bring forward some projects that actually deal with the maritime challenges that we confront, because at the end of the day every bit of economic good we do is about putting something on a boat and exporting it overseas.
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The question is, which existing (or new) projects is he talking about, and will we also see them announced before the next DWP due in 18mths?

Maybe I'm reading too much into what he is saying, but about 2 weeks ago he did an interview in The Australian where he made similar comments and specifically mentioned Littoral Combat Ships.

WA Senator + Austal (WA based) + Border Protection issues = Littoral Combat Ships? Am I jumping to conclusions and drawing toooo long a bow??
 
V

Volkodav

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
No please no more aluminium ships! Have they not learnt anything, they are cheap to run when they are new but they wear out very quickly if they are not maintained appropriately, (i.e. insufficient funding and substandard facilities)
 
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