Cost isn't going to matter if we get into a situation where they are required. The main concern with purchases from overseas would be whether they would be available to purchase when needed.
www.abc.net.au
I have little doubt any peer to peer conflict will likely result in a nuke detonation in space to produce a big EMP for disabling satellites.Should Australia develop an anti satellite technology making it harder to target sites or naval assets I am aware that Australia is a signatory to kinetic weapons being used against satellites but should other methods be considered
Will the next big conflict be fought in space? This is how the world is preparing for star wars
Satellites are under threat like never before and more countries are preparing for wars in space. So, what exactly is going on above the atmosphere? And should we be worried?
I believe SAMP/T NG using the Aster 30 B1NT should be more relevant, if it meets the specifications of course. IDEX 2025 - Eurosam promotes Advanced Aster 30 B1NT Missile and SAMPT NG - EDR Magazine
If/when a hot conflict breaks out then yes, cost will likely not be particularly important. However cost does very much matter beforehand since that can dictate, at least in part, whether or not a facility and workforce is actually employed and sustained.
Agree they are moving that way; but there is a lot of difference between being able to take out an ICBM in mid course (SM-3) and being able to takeout a Scud like short range missile (Aster). The Europeans are aiming for the former but haven’t got there yet. I’m pretty sure that, provided the commitment is there, they will. They undoubtedly have the technical capability to do so.
I hope it's what we all want.
I agree completely, and I don’t think that Australia has the need to build *everything* here.
I believe ESSM can be fired from the existing NASAM launchers but may not have been certified yet.
One potential issue with domestic production of ESSM is that AFAIK ESSM is some sort of a multi-national consortium arrangement, with Australia already involved in to produce some parts of the missile. In order for Australia to be able to begin domestic production of ESSM, there would likely need to be agreement with/by the other consortium member-nations. Australia might also need to source missile subcomponents from other consortium members, which in turn means that production could be interrupted or even interdicted.
www.navalnews.com
For shipboard use NSM is already coming in, so that'd be a no. For air launch, well, Hornets are gone, Super Hornets and P-8s can use 'em but also have LRASM; F-35s don't have Harpoon integrated (NSM/JSM current, LRASM in progress for -Cs probably could carry over to -As without too much trouble). Submarine launch looks like where Harpoon will stick round for awhile as torp-tube launched Tomahawk is pretty much dead; sub-launched JSM is still on the drawing board and there's no movement on any form of sub-launched LRASM...How likely would Australia look to update its Harpoon missiles
U.S. Navy to Modernize Harpoon Missiles with New Seekers - Naval News
The U.S. Navy is looking to upgrade its aging Harpoon missiles via new seekers in a new service life extension program.
How does that tie into if Australia should upgrade it's stock of Harpoons?
Why does Australia need mobile launchers for Harpoon when the ADF is already getting mobile launchers for the much newer NSM, and planning local production of that missile.
You have summed up the fatalistic cycle we face…, build and hope they are not needed. Don’t build and hope they are not needed.
They potentially could be updated & kept as warstock for the RAAF P-8's & F/A-18F's aswell as the Collins class. Once surface ships have changed over to NSM, they aren't capable of carrying Harpoon again. The changeover involves swapping over wiring, the console in the ops room aswell as the launcher. The old Harpoon launchers are then scrapped due to ITAR.
Possibly, but then questions would need to get raised regarding not only the costs to upgrade, but the value in doing so as well. The range of Australian Harpoon Block II's is approximately 124 km for ship-launched missiles. Not sure what that would work out to for land-based launchers but still quite a bit less than NSM is capable of.