Royal Australian Navy Discussions and Updates 2.0

-CIVMEC DEFENCE INDUSTRIES

-NUSHIP Pilbara launch 31st October 2025.

Land 8710 - phase 2 > Landing Craft Heavy.
-‘The scope of the proposed Austal-Civmec JV is contingent upon the works being undertaken at Civmec’s Henderson facilities. Should alternative facilities be utilised for the execution of Land 8710 phase 2 program, it is unlikely that the Joint venture arrangement contemplated under the MOU will proceed. We note that the commonwealth of Australia has planned future naval shipbuilding projects for wa, including the build plan for the Mogami class GPFs. Civmec facilities and workforce are recognised as world class in both capability and scale, positioning us strongly to deliver projects of that magnitude and complexity.’


Probably should have fast tracked the 65 Clarence Beach Rd facility… would have come in handy.
Echomarine shed recently purchased by wa government a possibility in the interim.

iambuzzard said:

We will get the Virginias, it's only a matter of when. The fact that there are 13 trained Aussies on the USS Vermont, 10% of the crew, speaks volumes.
By the time the first boats arrive we'll have trained personnel all along the chain to support and crew them.
This is all the background work the media and public don't see.
Hopefully I'll be around to see Mogamis, Hunters and Virginias in the fleet.

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Could be a bit of foreshadowing as well. Vermont was commissioned in 2020 making it an ideal candidate for the first SSN to be handed over to Australia in 2032.

Reptilia said:

Probably should have fast tracked the 65 Clarence Beach Rd facility… would have come in handy.

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There is the Echo Marine Group building next door to 65 Clarence Beach, this was where Birdon had started building the LCM prototype.

Pusser01 said:

There is the Echo Marine Group building next door to 65 Clarence Beach, this was where Birdon had started building the LCM prototype.

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birdon prototype was moved to 78 sparks rd, 2 blocks.
49-53 Clarence beach rd purchased by wa government last year from AME with echo yachts/marine currently at that facility.
one side has a yacht in build I believe, the other may be free?

Came up today…

hauritz said:

Could be a bit of foreshadowing as well. Vermont was commissioned in 2020 making it an ideal candidate for the first SSN to be handed over to Australia in 2032.

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USS Vermont & USS Oregon are the first 'Block-IV' boats so they will be the two we get second-hand according to the original plan.

hauritz said:

Could be a bit of foreshadowing as well. Vermont was commissioned in 2020 making it an ideal candidate for the first SSN to be handed over to Australia in 2032.

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Quite possibly I think she is the first of the Block IV's, not sure of what sort of rejigging the powers that be in the US might have been thinking of doing to the program so SSN-792 through to SSN-801 are the block IV which Australia is meant to acquire two of and then a future Block VII acquisition without the VPM of course. Statements to date have mentioned boats that have served 10 years in USN service prior to handover giving Australia 23 years of service life left. That might even put USS Oregon, Montana or Hyman G Rickover in the frame..... the latter would certainly be symbolic.

AndyinOz said:

Quite possibly I think she is the first of the Block IV's, not sure of what sort of rejigging the powers that be in the US might have been thinking of doing to the program so SSN-792 through to SSN-801 are the block IV which Australia is meant to acquire two of and then a future Block VII acquisition without the VPM of course. Statements to date have mentioned boats that have served 10 years in USN service prior to handover giving Australia 23 years of service life left. That might even put USS Oregon, Montana or Hyman G Rickover in the frame..... the latter would certainly be symbolic.

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We could see higher and higher percentages of the Vermont crew being Australian. Not only would Australia be up to speed on the Virginia class but they would be totally familiar with the actual boat they will be getting. That could make for just about the smoothest possible handover you can get.

Albanese seems to be backing Trump's announcement of possibly bringing forward the timeline for its AUKUS submarine program. Trump was on a tear also annoucing a deal with South Korea to acquire a new build SSN from an American shipyard.

I admit I do tend to take anything Trump says with a massive grain of salt but there maybe a method behind his madness. First and foremost there are sound strategic reasons behind this. The more non-US nuclear subs in the region the less pressure there will be on the US. Might even be part of the US exit strategy for the region. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Japan also starts looking at SSNs.

Then of course there is the money. Trump the businessman will be seeing hundreds of billions of dollars pouring into the US coffers.

You also have his desire for countries like Australia to boost their defence spending as quickly as possible. Australia would really have little choice but to comply if the program was bought forward a year or two.

Anyway Trump doesn't get the final call on this. Congress and the next US president will likely be the one's making the decision.

AndyinOz said:

Statements to date have mentioned boats that have served 10 years in USN service prior to handover giving Australia 23 years of service life left.

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The "10 years" statement lines up nicely with the Virginia SSNs' overhaul schedule. Their first operating cycle is typically 7-8 years (from sea trials), followed by a 2-2.5 year extended docking period ("E-DSRA"). Each E-DSRA is 2-3 million man hours and costs half a billion US$ (roughly).

So I expect the RAN will get Block IVs that have completed their first operating cycle and extended docking. And that Australia will be footing the bill for these docking periods to regenerate the subs and make them ready for RAN service.

hauritz said:

I admit I do tend to take anything Trump says with a massive grain of salt but there maybe a method behind his madness. First and foremost there are sound strategic reasons behind this. The more non-US nuclear subs in the region the less pressure there will be on the US. Might even be part of the US exit strategy for the region. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Japan also starts looking at SSNs.

Then of course there is the money. Trump the businessman will be seeing hundreds of billions of dollars pouring into the US coffers.

You also have his desire for countries like Australia to boost their defence spending as quickly as possible. Australia would really have little choice but to comply if the program was bought forward a year or two.

Anyway Trump doesn't get the final call on this. Congress and the next US president will likely be the one's making the decision.

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Please make sure your doctor is aware and keeping an eye on your sodium levels.

If we are talking about a decade from now, then we are talking about not one but at least two presidential terms from now. The US is supposed to have presidential elections in 2028 and again in 2032. There is also the potential for a POTUS to resign, get removed or die in office. Given some of the health concerns surrounding the current officeholder, it is possible that the US might have more than two different Presidents between now and late 2035.

We are also talking about five Congresses from now, as these change every two years. Unfortunately, that is still plenty of time for an individual or group of people with sticks up their ar**es to cause problems.

EDIT: Added comment which was in my head but not typed out. I blame oxy...