Royal Australian Navy Discussions and Updates 2.0

[Going Boeing]

It appears that the bow & towed array sonars for Collins, Ghost Bat, Spearfish, Bluebottle & some surface combatants (such as the Hunters) will be Thales products made locally.

Conroy opens end-to-end towed array sonar manufacturing facility in Western Sydney,

 

[spoz]

I suspect a reasonably good sonar package could detect a standard cruising surface ship at distances up to and over 50 nm. A modern Mk48 is good for about 25-30nm. It would never be fired at the maximum range as a ship would hear the torpedo as soon as it was launched and high tail it the other way. To effectively be in the no escape zone, a ship needs to be about 10-15 nm away at most. A torpedo is still a close in weapon.

Ghost shark style drones will never be used to follow a ship, they will be positioned to intercept, mostly from information passed to them from another source, potentially several days beforehand. Ghost Shark manages its slow speed via large numbers prepositioned in an operational area

The Anduril Copperhead torpedo operates a little different to the Mk48. It is in effect a small loitering drone. It can be sent out on independent recon, and then activate in torpedo mode a substantial distance/time from the Ghost Shark itself. A Ghost Shark could send one or multiple out ahead of an intercept point, which then wait in silence and go live when the target is close.

Well over 50 miles.

 

[iambuzzard]

The former.

I have it on good authority that USS Colorado is one of the best kept of the Block IIIs and a good boat generally so at least we're not getting the dregs as some continue to obsessively claim.

So up to five boats rotating out of FBW at a time. That means good regional coverage.

 

[Sandson41]

So up to five boats rotating out of FBW at a time. That means good regional coverage.

That article says 'rotational basis'. Where are we getting the idea of five SSN home ported there at once? Did I miss something?

BTW, I'm also seeing some news articles calling Colorado the first 'AUKUS submarine', which is of course very misleading.

 

[devo99]

That article says 'rotational basis'. Where are we getting the idea of five SSN home ported there at once? Did I miss something?

BTW, I'm also seeing some news articles calling Colorado the first 'AUKUS submarine', which is of course very misleading.

Surely they will be rotating through which boats are posted to SRF-W.

 

[iambuzzard]

Surely they will be rotating through which boats are posted to SRF-W.

I think it means up to 5 boats will assigned to the region and will return to FBW for replenishment and maintenance. They are not home ported.

 

[SammyC]

I think it means up to 5 boats will assigned to the region and will return to FBW for replenishment and maintenance. They are not home ported.

Families are moving with the boats, so the rotations will not be short, expect multiple years as a minimum. The boats will be coming back to FBW at the completion of each deployment for crew rest and family time, and will be progressively undertaking the majority of shoreside maintenance at FBW.

While the Government and Navy seem at pains to not say they are home ported, they will be home ported in all but name.

 

[StevoJH]

While the Government and Navy seem at pains to not say they are home ported, they will be home ported in all but name.

And that is purely political, as far as I am aware the Australian Government has never allowed US Troops to be *permanently* based in Australia since the end of WW2?

 

[SammyC]

And that is purely political, as far as I am aware the Australian Government has never allowed US Troops to be *permanently* based in Australia since the end of WW2?

I don't know why.

I'm no polster, but I don't think it is such an emotive subject in the general population. I'm not sure the majority would be that fussed of the USN has permanent assets based in Australia. Pine Creek has never been referred to as a rotational force for instance.

Maybe I live a sheltered existence.

 

[Stampede]

Families are moving with the boats, so the rotations will not be short, expect multiple years as a minimum. The boats will be coming back to FBW at the completion of each deployment for crew rest and family time, and will be progressively undertaking the majority of shoreside maintenance at FBW.

While the Government and Navy seem at pains to not say they are home ported, they will be home ported in all but name.

Christopher Pyne does did a very interesting speech to the Public enquiring into AUKUS.

Clearly he has a different view to many who made submissions to that public forum.

I’ve certainly been one who has enjoyed viewing the variety of opinions presented to that enquiry.

All up , Pyne certainly does not shy away from the reality that FBW will not be only a shared facility,
but very much a US base.

Thats the future reality regardless of how the politicians play with words.

Rotational force and all !

Cheers S