Royal Australian Navy Discussions and Updates 2.0

Another video from BAE Systems Australia on their FB site showing the Block 4 hull section being moved to the Blast & Paint chamber. The section appears to be in very good condition with no rust evident - this is much better than what I’ve seen on videos from other shipbuilders overseas.

You may not be able to view this if you don’t have a FB account but I haven’t been able to find the video elsewhere.
It's also available on BAE Aus youtube channel if that helps anyone. They often post there first.
 

Stampede

Well-Known Member
Any guess when the first Barracuda would have been delivered? Wasn’t 2026 the first delivery?
I understand it was to be in the water in late 20s for entry to service in 2030.

A good conversion for ten years time as to whether it was the right or wrong decision back in the day.

Cheers S
 

Joe Black

Active Member
I don't think it was a good move to have cancelled the project altogether, but then again, it could have been a bottomless pit given the French are infamous with project slippages. I would have loved to see an interim buy of sons of Collins (perhaps a slightly enlarged boat with some updated technology taken from the Shortfin Barracuda/and perhaps Saab's A26 class) rather than doing the MLU/LOTE on all 6 existing Collins.
 

rossfrb_1

Member
I understand it was to be in the water in late 20s for entry to service in 2030.

A good conversion for ten years time as to whether it was the right or wrong decision back in the day.

Cheers S
According to this article Why Australia wanted out of its French submarine deal
(I seem to remember the same article being on the aspistrategist site but can't find it now)
The first Shortfin in the water was due 2035.
 

H_K

Member
According to this article Why Australia wanted out of its French submarine deal
(I seem to remember the same article being on the aspistrategist site but can't find it now)
The first Shortfin in the water was due 2035.
It was a good deal earlier than that... Attack class sea trials were scheduled for 2031 (see below).

The Attack program was actually progressing quite well when it was cancelled in Sept 2021. The preliminary design reviews had been completed, and the critical design review was tracking ~12 months behind the original 2017 schedule, with a plan in place to recover this delay and meet the original milestones. Costs were also under control, with the final estimate before cancellation (August 2021) of $46.4 billion in 2016 constant dollars, with a Cabinet memo noting that this "remains within the original acquisition cost estimate of $50 billion in 2016 constant dollars announced at the outset of the Attack class submarine program in April 2016".

Key milestones of the Future Submarine Program are as follows:
  • Preliminary Design Review – scheduled to conclude in March 2020 (actual: Feb 2021, 11 month delay partly impacted by Covid).
  • Critical Design Review – scheduled to conclude in June 2022 (later revised to June 2023, 12 month delay)
  • Operation of the Propulsion System Land Based Test Site – scheduled to commence in 2022/23.
  • Operation of the Combat System Physical Integration Facility – scheduled to commence in 2022/23.
  • Construction of the first Future Submarine – scheduled to commence in 2022/23.
  • Construction of the second Future Submarine – scheduled to commence in 2025/26.
  • Sea trials for the first Future Submarine – scheduled to commence in 2031/32.
  • Acceptance of first Future Submarine – scheduled for 2032/33.
Source: https://www.aph.gov.au/api/qon/down...timatesRoundId2-PortfolioId7-QuestionNumber41
 
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