That's interesting, but are Babcock going to build their own facilities? And where are they going to get the tradespeople from? The current build programmes are soaking up all the tradespeople, apprentices and related professionals, as well as yards for foreseeable future. However as recent submarine events have shown nothing can be taken for granted, so it may be a possibility.
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Given they have an existing presence at Henderson, they should (in theory) have some idea of what would be realistically possible? Equally telling is that they're paying for sponsored pieces such as this - companies don't do that unless they're angling for something.
Yes, however, I don’t think that changes things as Babcock would have been well aware of the likelihood (or even confirmation) of the Indonesia deal at the time they published that piece.A couple of months later after that article and Babcock entered into an agreement with Indonesia through their state-owned enterprise P.T pal
Babcock secures first Arrowhead 140 frigate export contract
Babcock has announced that it had won the first export contract for its Arrowhead 140 (AH140) frigate through a design license agreement.www.naval-technology.com
Once you take out every 'should' statement in that article, there isn't much left. 'Should' isn't actually a plan - this seems more ASPI randomness
Something to consider is what would be the role of smaller vessels in a time of a major crisis?
Don't you have already problems of finding crews?
Way before the boats actually put to sea; all the relevant documents and manuals would already have been translated into English.
The role of small, lightly armed patrol craft can be many and varied.
www.wrightsons.com.au
No more of a challenge than any other navy. This line does the rounds still even though it’s not only many years out of date, but it’s just not true.
Yep and the Fairmiles were also built in NZ with the RNZN operating them up around the Solomon Islands area during 1944 and 1945. They were good boats.The role of small, lightly armed patrol craft can be many and varied.
An illustration of those many roles can be found in the history of the 35 112ft Fairmiles built in Australia during WW2
Many were used in the New Guinea campaign and they were extensively used during the Japanese thrust into Timor and the near (to Darwin) Dutch East Indies.
They were mainly manned by RANVR officers and were ideal for the multimedia of tasks not requiring anything more substantial.
World War II – The Fairmile Story – Norman R. Wright & Sons
www.theaustralian.com.au
Whilst this is good news, it really isn’t quite right that such insights are only selectively given at whim (and behind a paywall for that matter).Hi Guys,
Merry Christmas.
Some welcome nuke sub news for you.
NoCookies | The Australian
Commerce raiding. Wouldn’t one of the best uses of the ABF and Arafuras be what they were designed for ie controlling the flow of unarmed and lightly armed vessels?
I have been told not to breach The Australian paywall but there are few things worth mentioning. First of all Dutton hasn't explained how the timeline for the new submarine will be shortened. Could be second hand, leased, or built overseas. There is also the possibility that the home build program could be greatly accelerated.Hi Guys,
Merry Christmas.
Some welcome nuke sub news for you.
NoCookies | The Australian
Those who dont have access or dont have a subscription. Took away the key points. The rest is all fill. Wild guess, but seems from his wording it could be the Virgina's. Nothing is yet confirmed.
Key takeaway (Nuke sub capability from early 2030s). May still be built in Australia with Close UK/US involvement.
Mr Dutton did not say how the shortened timeline would be achieved, saying that the options were being worked through in high-level meetings with US and UK officials. He also gave no indication of whether Australia would ultimately choose the US Virginia Class submarines or the British Astute Class submarines.
“I think it’s the Americans’ desire to see us with capability much sooner than 2040 and obviously options are being explored at the moment,” Mr Dutton said.
“I believe very much we can realise the capability in the first half of the 2030s and we are absolutely working towards that and I am only encouraged, not discouraged, out of the conversations we have had.”
He said that his “wildest expectations” had been exceeded by the level of co-operation from both the UK and the US since the creation of the AUKUS pact in September.
The government is expected to announce in the first half of 2022 the details of how it plans to acquire its nuclear-powered submarine fleet.
"I think when you speak with the Brits and the Americans, they’ve got limited capacity within their own production lines so I think there is an inevitability around the build in Australia,” he said. “In fact we’ve got people that we are working with from both the US and the UK now on shipyard design … that’s been a priority for us.”
I'd like to think there is a plan tucked away in a top drawer somewhere in the defence castle for how to use the nations assets in time of major crisis.
Unless/until Australia makes some changes to national law, I do not anticipate the ABF being able to follow a path similar to the USCG. The USCG is one of the US's uniformed services (one of seven IIRC), with the USCG having been moved around between different Departments and having answered to different Secretaries during it's history. Currently, the USCG is a part of the Dept. of Homeland Security during peacetime, but can be transferred and report to the DoD and be under the umbrella of the USN in the event of war. The USCG (and preceding services) is one of the US's armed services and personnel/equipment are not considered civilian but rather military/naval.