Australian Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

[PanAsian]

Here is another laugh by our dear foreign minister of PRC.

Ms. Bishop's response was a good counter, "“In terms of the historical context, Australia has moved on. We moved on many years ago, in relation to both Germany and Japan, and the submarine competitive evaluation process will be focused on capability.”

It is absolutely valid for China to be concerned about Japan's military posture and Japan's take on Imperial Japan's history of aggression and related unresolved issues. However it is indeed a joke for China to expect Australia to see all that in the same light.

 

[Jeff Head]

I think it is a problem for the region because China has not moved on post WW2. This issue is unfortunately reflected in many of China's official statements such as this and in my view is not a laughing matter. This issue is further compounded by similar propaganda injected into its domestic base. It just foster animosity going forward.

Agreed...not a laughing matter.

We and the Australians and many others moved on long ago because Japan was abjectly defeated and we then assisted in rebuilding her and then needing her to counter the Soviets during the Cold War.

Those events and that long association allowed us to move on.

China has not had any similar experience and the memory of Japan's occupation, while now over 70 years past...will not truly begin to fade IMHO for another generation. The children and grandchildren of those occupied remember the stories told them by their parents and Nanas, IMHO, it will take the great grandchildren, in the face of 80-90 years of no similar recurrence, to be able to have it start to fade.

 

[SamuraiBlue]

Agreed...not a laughing matter.

We and the Australians and many others moved on long ago because Japan was abjectly defeated and we then assisted in rebuilding her and then needing her to counter the Soviets during the Cold War.

Those events and that long association allowed us to move on.

China has not had any similar experience and the memory of Japan's occupation, while now over 70 years past...will not truly begin to fade IMHO for another generation. The children and grandchildren of those occupied remember the stories told them by their parents and Nanas, IMHO, it will take the great grandchildren, in the face of 80-90 years of no similar recurrence, to be able to have it start to fade.

Actually it was resurrected by Jiang Zemin during his reign as chairman through his "Patriotic Education" to school children, but that is another story.

 

[Jeff Head]

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The Philippine Government has contracted the Australian vessel designer Incat Crowther to design a 50m multi-mission monohull patrol vessel.

Two identical vessels of this type will be built in Manilla by Josefa Slipways. The primary role of the vessels is to combat illegal fishing for the Philippine government.

With the local fishing industry losing billions of dollars to illegal fishing, these assets are expected to enhance law enforcement’s capability to patrol and protect territorial waters.

The multi-mission nature of the vessels allows them to be used for disaster relief and/or rescue operations, as well as to serve as a platform for research.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) with their operating agency, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) will operate the vessels.

The 50-meter vessel will be powered by two (2) Mitsubishi S16R2-T2MPTK engines, coupled with a Masson MMW18000 gearboxes and fixed pitch propellers. Two (2) Yanmar 6HAL2-WHT generators will service the vessel’s electrical needs with an additional emergency generator.

One embarked 9-meter riggid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) will be deployed from a specially designed well with a transom door.

These are going to be built in Manila apparently. The Philippines needs newer patrol craft.

 

[navyreco]

Combat Systems On-Board Royal Australian Navy Air Warfare Destroyer Hobart Come Alive

The past few weeks have seen the combat systems and test activities come alive for the first air warfare destroyer, the future HMAS Hobart of the Royal Australian Navy. Combat system compartments, such as the Combat System Equipment Rooms, the Combat Information Centre (CIC) and the radar equipment room, are filled with personnel and activity as equipment is powered on for the first time and functionally tested.

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[Jura The idiot]

interesting:

HMAS Canberra demonstrates amphibious capabilities

Royal Australian Navy’s landing helicopter ship HMAS Canberra recently demonstrated its amphibious capabilities to the latest group of trainee sailors when it used its landing craft to transport personnel accross Western Port Bay, Victoria.

The landing craft from Canberra that were used for the exercise gave new sailors a taste of life on board one of Navy’s largest amphibious ships.

Once on board Canberra the visitors were treated to a tour of the ship where they saw helicopter and dock operations, hospital facilities and general living conditions.

Canberra has been off the Australian east coast conducting Exercise OCEAN EXPLORER and internal training after a reduced activity period.

The movement of the cohort of recruits, staff and trainees from HMAS Cerberus provided the perfect opportunity for some amphibious training for the ship’s company of Canberra.

The ship has four landing craft that can each take a maximum of 170 personnel but Canberra’s Amphibious Operations Officer, Major Mathew Singers, said they rarely need to operate at full capacity.

“For operational efficiency we normally limit each boat to 120 personnel with full combat load or about 100 personnel for general transport.”

“With landing craft working from both lanes of the well dock, we could debark or embark 1,200 personnel per hour,” Singers said.

The landing craft are a significant part of the ship’s capability. They have an endurance of 190 nautical miles and can run 24 hours a day. Usual cycling is 12 hours, to provide crew rest and time for maintenance.

The Canberra class amphibious ships are capable of amphibious operations including non-combatant evacuations and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.

According to the Royal Australian Navy, Canberra will take part in Exercise RIM OF THE PACIFIC (RIMPAC) in June this year, which will be the ship’s first international deployment.

source:

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[Jura The idiot]

related to

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but I think the title is strange (because I don't understand the Australian English
Air Warfare Destroyer project fires key weapon

A key weapon system training platform for the Navy’s new Hobart class destroyers has reached the final stage of certification.
Leading Seaman Electronics Technician Jacob Ward took to the firing panel recently during a weapons certification firing trial of the Mk 25 25mm Typhoon at West Head Gunnery Range, Flinders Victoria.
The event marked the final stage of the acceptance of the Air Warfare Destroyer Close Range Defence System part task trainer comprising of the Mk 25 Mod 2 Typhoon, operating console and simulator.
On completion of the firing certification process, the system will be available to provide initial training to weapon system operators and maintainers posted to the HOBART Class guided missile destroyer (DDG).
Leading Seaman Ward said being part of a project for the most advanced destroyer Australia has ever built was a great experience.
“As an electronics technician I am much more used to maintenance and fault diagnosis than I am to testing a brand new capability,” he said.
“It was a pretty good experience to be part of the team certifying a key weapons system and knowing that it will be used for years to come in sailor training.”
The Navy is planned to have three Hobart Class destroyers to provide air defence for accompanying ships in addition to land forces and infrastructure in coastal areas, and for self-protection against missiles and aircraft.
The West Head Gunnery Range occupies an area of approximately 16 hectares on the Mornington Peninsula, and is located approximately 70km south of Melbourne.
The Range was originally used by the Army in the 1890s as a shore battery and was taken over by the Royal Australian Navy in 1958.

source:

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[Brumby]

Australian military to receive $30 billion boost in long-awaited Defence White Paper

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Today's long awaited Defence White Paper will outline $30 billion of additional spending over the next 10 years, and also focus on strategic concerns linked to China's rapid military expansion.

The centrepiece of the white paper will be 12 new submarines to replace the Collins Class fleet, as well as big spending commitments on the Joint Strike Fighter project, new armoured vehicles and thousands of additional Australian Defence Force personnel.

In total the ABC has learnt there will be $29.9 billion in additional spending over the next 10 years, bringing the total defence budget to 2 per cent of GDP by 2023.

Defence sources say China will feature prominently, but the language used will not be dramatically different from what Australia has been saying publically about rising tensions in the South China Sea.

"China's going to remain our largest trading partner for a long time," Defence Department Secretary Dennis Richardson said on the eve of the document's release.

"Equally, it's important in respect of China to be forthright where you might have a difference, and we do have a difference in respect of activity in the South China Seas, and we have expressed that explicitly publically and will continue to do so."

In preparing today's document, Australian officials have held 200 meetings with foreign governments, including China's.

The continuing threat posed by Islamic State terrorists, and state-on-state conflicts such as the one involving Russia and Ukraine are also canvassed.

"I think there's a fair chance if you look ahead 20-30 years we could find ourselves going to places which we don't often talk about today," Mr Richardson said.

Figures inside the defence community say there will also be a big focus on cyber security, an area they say has become a much "bigger problem" since the last white paper.

I believe in the past, Australia's security posture towards China was threat neutral. I suspect in the White paper to be released today, we will see a shift in posture and an acknowledgment of a growing China threat because of its activities in the SCS and its non adherence to rule of law. However I also expect the choice of language to be politically constrained because of trade reasons.

 

[Air Force Brat]

Australian military to receive $30 billion boost in long-awaited Defence White Paper

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I believe in the past, Australia's security posture towards China was threat neutral. I suspect in the White paper to be released today, we will see a shift in posture and an acknowledgment of a growing China threat because of its activities in the SCS and its non adherence to rule of law. However I also expect the choice of language to be politically constrained because of trade reasons.

Roger That!

 

[Brumby]

Defence White Paper: Australia joins Asia's arms race with spending on weaponry and military forces to reach $195b

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Australia will embark on a decade-long surge in weaponry and military forces to defend its land, sea, skies and space from Asia's rapidly growing military forces.

The 2016 Defence White Paper maps a course towards a total of $195 billion in defence capability or equipment by 2020-21, together with a larger military force of 62,400 personnel, the largest in a quarter of a century.

When Defence planners get it wrong

The Defence White Paper comes with a big sales pitch, but past editions have often missed the mark, writes Greg Jennett.

Joining an Asian-region mini arms race, the White Paper promises 12 submarines to be built at a cost of more than $50 billion between 2018-2057.

However, maintenance costs will push that $50 billion budget much higher.

Navy will scoop a quarter of all new spending on capability, with nine new anti-submarine warfare frigates and 12 offshore patrol vessels.

The RAAF will build up two fleets of drones while also bringing its eventual fleet of 75 Joint Strike Fighters online.

The Army will claim 18 per cent of all extra spending on equipment, buying armed drones, new protected vehicles to transport troops, helicopters for special forces and a long-range rocket system.

Underscoring a sense of urgency to the renewal of Australia's defence power, the Government is aiming to build spending up to 2 per cent of GDP by 2020/21 — earlier than previously promised — representing an overall increase of $29.9 billion.

Defence officials have told the ABC the White Paper reflects Australia's "growing discomfort" with China's military activity.

Climate change and terrorism listed as threats

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the Government was committed to the "significant increase in spending" due to regional challenges as well as the threat from climate change and terrorism, among other issues.

The factoring in of climate change was not planned under the Abbott Government.

"In the next two decades, half the world's submarines and at least half the world's advanced combat aircraft will be operating in the Indo-Pacific region, in our region, and this complicates the outlook for our security and strategic planning," Mr Turnbull said.

"We would be concerned if the competition for influence and the growth in military capability were to lead to instability and threaten Australia's interests, whether in the South China Sea, the Korean peninsula or further afield.We have a strong, vital, vested interest in the maintenance of peace, stability and respect for the rule of law."

The language of the White Paper points to a realisation that Australia needs to increase the "potency and agility" of its forces in the face of rising wealth and power in Asia, coupled with the strategic tension already arising between China and the United States.

"Territorial disputes … have created uncertainty and tension in our region," the White Paper notes.

"Some matters that previous defence white papers have described as long-term issues, such as the impact of modernisation in our region, now fall to this White Paper to respond to."

Australia continues to throw its military lot in with the United States, assessed to "remain the pre-eminent global power over the next two decades".

The White Paper aims to deepen Australia's alliance with America, including the relocation of a US spy telescope known as an "optical space surveillance telescope" to Exmouth in Western Australia.

On the path to building defence funding up to 2 per cent of GDP, the Government will also "de-couple" its spending on the military from the general health of the economy, so that even if growth slows, defence will still get its 2 per cent share.

US Ambassador to Australia John Berry described the White Paper as a "well-considered, comprehensive approach to addressing evolving security challenges of the coming decades".

"As allies, we welcome the Government's sustained investment in defence capabilities and readiness and its support for rules-based international order," he said.

Australia will acquire 12 submarines and 9 frigates according to the plan. Crewing them will be a problem I guess. Lol.