Big & cheap OPVs for Oz?
Just wondering if there is any basis in fact that the RAN is looking for OPVs to cover the southern oceans?
Prior discussion seems to have highlighted there are several cheap and seemingly very effective commercial options available such as the Roles Royce type used by Norway in the equally challenging north sea.
It seems to make a lot of sense to me to use a larger size vessel that is inherintly capable, adaptable, stable in high sea states can operate a Helo and is long ranged and fuel efficient rather than any corvette/patrol boat combination that would no doubt be far more expensive.
It is important IMHO to think outside the box and to kill as many birds with one stone as you effectivly can when you have such a small budget and large AO as Australia does.
A boat of this type (for example a UT-527 with hanger) with a combined civilian/Navy crew could act as a mothership/support vessel to Armadales in the oceans off the north coast replenishing the smaller patrol boats when required and taking captured boats in tow and hold the crews freeing the smaller boats to continue their mission without going back to port.
In their primary mission of southern ocean patrol it might also be possible without to much trouble to inclued some scientific research capability so while its patroling the uncharted southern oceans its also doing hydrographic research, certainly there is enough room onboard to inclued a small CSIRO staff/lab and maybe hang an ROV or dive bell off the side, this may enable us to retire some of the hydrographic boats and consolidate ship types even further to save $$$.
A boat of this type and size could also easily incorporate a small medical facility and a couple of doctors, handy for fly the flag visits to little islands while your patroling past drop in for half a day and patch up some of the locals, costs for patrols could perhaps be offset as a component of our foreign aid?
The Customs/Scientific/Medical/Navy combo on cheap efficient ships like the UT class running around the South Pacific/Indian Ocean and Southern Ocean as well as doing their Security tasks could also be doing wonders for Australian Science and the hearts and minds of the South Pacific.
The search and rescue, environmental/pollution controll, fire fighting, ship recovery and ice resistance aspects on top of the other capabilities would make for a vital addition to the security of the nation.
The only problem with such a vessel with such a diverse capability and such a low cost efficient vessel (LPG gas combined with Diesel) would be the demands on its service from different government agencies, however funding could be attained and personel for crews also attained from the same departments allowing more vessels to be constructed, perhaps 4 or 6 for the same aproximate cost as an additional Frigate but with far more opportunity cost benifit to the nation.
If we did end up getting such a vessel or perhaps something like the NZ OPV would it be possible to increase surveillance capability cheaply with somthing like a tethered aerostat blimp with radar like JLENS?
I understand that there is a problem using blimps in high wind conditions but didnt the use barrage balloons in WW11 to protect convoys in the north atlantic?
The 300nm range of such a balloon would again be a great asset and free up Mariner/P3Cs for pacific or northern duties?
Just wondering if there is any basis in fact that the RAN is looking for OPVs to cover the southern oceans?
Prior discussion seems to have highlighted there are several cheap and seemingly very effective commercial options available such as the Roles Royce type used by Norway in the equally challenging north sea.
It seems to make a lot of sense to me to use a larger size vessel that is inherintly capable, adaptable, stable in high sea states can operate a Helo and is long ranged and fuel efficient rather than any corvette/patrol boat combination that would no doubt be far more expensive.
It is important IMHO to think outside the box and to kill as many birds with one stone as you effectivly can when you have such a small budget and large AO as Australia does.
A boat of this type (for example a UT-527 with hanger) with a combined civilian/Navy crew could act as a mothership/support vessel to Armadales in the oceans off the north coast replenishing the smaller patrol boats when required and taking captured boats in tow and hold the crews freeing the smaller boats to continue their mission without going back to port.
In their primary mission of southern ocean patrol it might also be possible without to much trouble to inclued some scientific research capability so while its patroling the uncharted southern oceans its also doing hydrographic research, certainly there is enough room onboard to inclued a small CSIRO staff/lab and maybe hang an ROV or dive bell off the side, this may enable us to retire some of the hydrographic boats and consolidate ship types even further to save $$$.
A boat of this type and size could also easily incorporate a small medical facility and a couple of doctors, handy for fly the flag visits to little islands while your patroling past drop in for half a day and patch up some of the locals, costs for patrols could perhaps be offset as a component of our foreign aid?
The Customs/Scientific/Medical/Navy combo on cheap efficient ships like the UT class running around the South Pacific/Indian Ocean and Southern Ocean as well as doing their Security tasks could also be doing wonders for Australian Science and the hearts and minds of the South Pacific.
The search and rescue, environmental/pollution controll, fire fighting, ship recovery and ice resistance aspects on top of the other capabilities would make for a vital addition to the security of the nation.
The only problem with such a vessel with such a diverse capability and such a low cost efficient vessel (LPG gas combined with Diesel) would be the demands on its service from different government agencies, however funding could be attained and personel for crews also attained from the same departments allowing more vessels to be constructed, perhaps 4 or 6 for the same aproximate cost as an additional Frigate but with far more opportunity cost benifit to the nation.
If we did end up getting such a vessel or perhaps something like the NZ OPV would it be possible to increase surveillance capability cheaply with somthing like a tethered aerostat blimp with radar like JLENS?
I understand that there is a problem using blimps in high wind conditions but didnt the use barrage balloons in WW11 to protect convoys in the north atlantic?
The 300nm range of such a balloon would again be a great asset and free up Mariner/P3Cs for pacific or northern duties?
