Knowing our ADF i can just see these Arafura neing used to fill shortfalls, even if they up gun them it's still not going to be enough especially aagainst chines and russian ships or submarines.. The only vessels we really have with any punch is our 3 AWD's which will in refits for the rest of this decade, i think it is about 2 years of refits each AWD then add sea trials after refit.. ANZAC frigates area good ship but realistly they will only be good for 1 or 2 engagements before needing to load up again., they are to lightly armed. Another scenario if an up gunned Arafura was in the Pacific or escorting vessels in shipping lanes and had multiple engagements how long will it last.. I think it's time they put more money into our ABFC, what you posted here for armed Arfura would be good for our ABFC with ships full of reservists.. Then when that future war with the CCP happens we have an additional pool of lightly armed vessels that can operate alongside our RAN frigates and AWD's or can be utlised with other ships like multi role frigates in our shipping lanes..
That's a shame on the SEA500 that would rule them out, we need more ships with a bigger magaxine with more SM-2 and SM-6, 3 AWD's is not enough especially considering they are apart of our countries multi layered missile defence bubble.. I think that guy on the Arafura video with LRASM was basing it on more the Brunei version of our Arafura which they are suppose to be upgrading to Harpoons.. NSM is a good missile but so is the new 5th gen Rafael Sea Breaker which has more range with pontential of a booster for an ER variant plus being an A.I. missile which would make a good Harpoon replacement for Aus.. They could put 16 Sea Breaker missile on our ANZAC frigates for about the same weight as 8 Harpoons which would allow for multiple engagements and be a better armed vessel to match it's operational endurance for deployments.. They could potentially manufacturing the Sea Breaker out of the same facility as the Spike LR2's here in Aus..
Here is some advice, read the old RAN thread and the posts in this one before spitting venom. This has been discussed at length.
The ANZAC after the ASMD upgrade is a capable AAW vessel with 32 medium range missiles with ESSM Block II to be included in the options. A load out of 32 capable missiles combine with combat system that can utilise this missile at its maximum range against a Coyote supersonic target is no slouch. Add that to the fact it can engage a crossing supersonic target gives it a capability to protect other vessels. This is a capability a lot of vessels with greater tonnage do not have.
It comes with compromise as in the size of the ANZAC means a reduction in speed to absorb the capability (deeper draft more ballast). A small vessel
cannot provide the same capability. As I have said in the past small tonnage means compromise. An OPV with a 4000nm range and no RAS capability is not going to be an escort in our sea lanes. The minimum capability in the current environment would equivalent to an ASMD ANZAC.
Certainly OPV's, if desired, could support coastal defence in a permissive environment (i.e there is not a hostile task force in SSM range) using UAV's and USV's in a search function for irregular vessels.
So ... to the main point. To add capability to something like the OPV is limited as every kg you add eats into its range. Every weight you add above CoG eats into stability margin. The OPV is only intended to operate in permissive environments. If the vessel is to play outside this .... you need a bigger hull.
With my Mod hat on ..... I strongly suggest you calm down and do some research and moderate your tone.