Another history lesson, the reason the DDL program evolved from a plan to build and additional several to a dozen Light Destroyers to bring major surface combatants number up to a total of twelve, to only building an initial batch of three larger ships to replace the existing Daring class destroyers, was the decision to embark a pair of missile armed helicopters on each. More to the point it was the realisation that a pair of embarked helicopters would permit a single ship to do what would take a couple of ships (three or four rather than tow that is) without helicopters to do.
Once the helicopters were embarked it made sense to improve the ships self defence capabilities through the addition of Tartar / Standard MR in place of Seacat, as well as superior sensors and combat system to what had been intended. Rather than an addition to the Fleet these ships were recast as a replacement for the 1950s designed Daring and Battle class destroyers and River Class DEs/frigates with a total of ten eventually planned. The program was cancelled and the OHP / FFG-07 class FFGs ordered instead with two plus two ordered from the US and up to six planed to be built locally at the time plans were still underway to replace Melbourne.
The FFGs were still equipped with helicopters and both the Lynx and Seahawk were considered and an anti ship missile was planned as well but never procured for the Seahawks. Again this helicopter procurement was planned when it was still assumed the carrier would be replaced meaning the Seakings would still be able to go to sea and that additional Seakings and eventually Harriers would be acquired as well.
Plans also existed at the time to build a final batch of five Fremantles as FACs fitted with 76mm Oto Melara guns and canister launched Harpoon, while the first fifteen had the potential to be upgraded to the same standard. Again this was when it was assumed the carrier would be replaced, additional large ASW helicopters acquired along with Harriers. In fact it was when the carrier capability was retired that planning began to massively increase the number of helicopter capable ships in the Fleet, i.e. up from maybe ten or eventually thirteen (FFGs plus the eventual DDG replacement) plus the carrier, to sixteen to seventeen frigates and destroyers plus up to a dozen corvettes, each with at least one missile and torpedo capable helicopter. i.e. a single helicopter carrier with fourteen helicopters and the potential to embark Harriers/Seaharriers was seen to be worth all of the missile armed helicopter equipped corvettes and three to four guided missile frigates and destroyers.
It is quite sobering when you realise just how much of a game changer helicopters are, not just in the obvious ASW and ASvW roles, but in increasing an individual ships situational awareness, targeting abilities and effective presence, i.e. how much area it can apply influence to. Many don't realise that the RAN was seriously looking at fitting the Armidales with UAVs and that they regarded the lack of helicopter facilities in the requirements as the single biggest failing of the project.
When you are talking single ships you need multi role helicopters on each and every one, when you are talking task forces not all need their own helicopter but the ability to support and rapidly launch what you do have become paramount. This is where even a small helicopter carrier, or for that matter an AOR or aviation support ship that can launch, recover, hanger and maintain (even down to deeper level repairs)multiple helicopters become a force multiplier that can justify a reduction in actual combatant numbers.
On the OPVs I believe it is a serious mistake to be deliberately overlooking the requirement to at least provide space and weight for additional sensors, weapons, an upgraded (or actual) combat system, as well as facilities for mission modules. This is because it is better to have the facility to upgrade the capability and not need it than to need it and be unable to do jack, i.e. the exact situation the RAN was left in when they got coke cans instead of corvettes. When the RAN has a pool of suitable weapons, sewnsors and systems left over from upgrades to or the retirement of other platforms there is even less of an excuss for the pure bloody minded ness involved. I actually wonder if the root cause of this apparent short sited stupidity is actually more a case of the realisation that the WA mafias poster child ship builder Austal would be completely incapable of building or even supporting such a design. Is the RAN missing out again because the selected builder are not capable of actually building what is really required?
