Australian Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

Status
Not open for further replies.
Tony Abbot is a loose cannon, if the liberals loose the next federal elections, we have this has been to thank. Senator Payne is absolutely right, Australia does not have the necessary infrastucture to support nuclear powered submarines. For fuck's sake, the lone research reactor that we have is practically run by skilled migrants from Argentina, China and a host of other countries.
KIENCHIN
I'll now repeat to you what I said to
Lethe
Jun 6, 2017
:
as far as I can tell, you've used an expletive, and you've quoted my post; I don't want to see the two "factors" together (of course I wouldn't care if you either didn't use an expletive, or if you didn't use Quote functionality)
thank you
 
Yesterday at 11:44 AM
understandably Minister rejects N-sub option
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
related:
Former prime minister Tony Abbott lashes out at Australia’s submarine program, calls for ‘Plan B’
June 29, 2017
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

CONCERNS for Australia’s naval incapabilities have been highlighted in a leadership lunch that called for a “plan B” for Australia’s new fleet of submarines.

Continuing his campaign trail critiquing the Turnbull government, former prime minister Tony Abbott warned the government’s $50 billion submarine investment needs to be reconsidered.

In a speech at the Centre for Independent Studies titled Submarines: why settle for second best?, Mr Abbott disclosed that
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
, he was told at the time “that neither of our two deployed submarines could shadow it”.

While Australian officials played down the presence of the flotilla at the time, led by the Russian Pacific Fleet flagship the cruiser Varyag, frantic efforts were under way in Moscow to establish the intention of the fleet,
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
.

“There is no doubt this is posturing, to show the power of the Russian fleet,” a source said.

Just a month earlier, the then-Prime Minister Mr Abbott
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
.

While the Navy sent three Australian warships,
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
.

It was told that the nearest boat was in Perth and would not be able to reach the area until well after the G20 summit was over.

“I worry that a decade or so hence, maybe sooner, Australia might face a security crisis in our region and find that governments of yesterday and today had left their successors with inadequate means to deal with it,” Mr Abbott said in his speech today.

“[The lack of submarines] was a stark reminder of the limitations of a strategic deterrent comprising just six conventional submarines of which two are in deep maintenance, two are in training, with only two available at any one time — and limited by an underwater cruising speed of just 10 knots.

“The Russian Pacific Fleet reportedly has five ballistic missile subs, 10 nuclear powered attack subs and eight conventional subs. If the world were becoming more secure and if our allies were becoming more dominant, perhaps that wouldn’t matter very much.

“This must be hoped for and it should be worked towards but it can’t be taken for granted.

“Government’s job is to plan for the worst as well as to work for the best. We will be judged by history as well as by our contemporaries and, at least where national defence is concerned, we have to think and prepare for the very long term indeed.”

Mr Abbott’s government set up the three-way compeition between Japan, Germany and France for the submarine contract.

French shipbuilder DCNS won the design job and the 12 conventional-powered submarines will be constructed in Adelaide.

Yet Mr Abbott said “the French-based design is hardly begun, let alone finalised. No contract to build has been signed and won’t be for years”.

The first steel is expected to be cut by 2022, and the first sub will enter service in the early 2030s.

In his speech, Mr Abbott called for Australia to “consider” nuclear-powered submarines “before the opportunity is lost for another several decades”.

“The whole point of the next submarine acquisition was to avoid the problems of the Collins — to find the submarine that could be brought swiftly into service with the least possible modifications — but what we have done so far risks an exact repetition,” Mr Abbott said.

“All the submarines on which the bids were based are excellent for their countries’ needs — but none, it seems, for ours.

“The Japanese sub lacked range, the German sub lacked size, and the French sub lacked conventional power.

“But instead of changing what we wanted, we’ve decided — again — to bring an orphan submarine into being.”

Yet despite the criticism, Mr Turnbull said he wanted to stress that “I do not want to interrupt the process of acquiring new submarines given that it had languished for so long”.

“The design process with DCNS should continue and so should the build if that remains our fully considered assessment of what’s best,” he said.

“But parallel with that, we should rethink what we want our subs to do, and what they might be up against in a changing threat environment, and explore nuclear powered options while our committed costs are only in the hundreds of millions.”
 
now I noticed
Exercise Talisman Saber 17 kicks off in Australia
July 4, 2017
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Talisman Saber is a ‘realistic and challenging exercise that provides opportunities for the United States and Australia to prepare for regional and global security challenges’.

Speaking at the opening ceremony aboard the U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
at sea off the coast of eastern Australia, Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr., commander of US Pacific Command, said the US is partnering in the exercise with Australian allies for ‘high-end warfighting scenarios’ for the seventh time.

About 33,000 American and Australian service members are taking part.

“Exercises like Talisman Saber are precisely where we really learn how to take advantage of cutting-edge technology to outpace our adversaries. It’s also a perfect place for our forces to operationalise a very important concept.

When I look at the Bonhomme Richard, I see endless possibilities for the future. After all, you could say that amphibious ships are the original multi-domain battle platforms operating from the air, from the sea and from the land. So I need this blue-green team to lead the way during this exercise.”

Exercise Talisman Saber 2017 is the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group’s final certification say the US Navy and it will also support efforts to put the ‘up-gunned expeditionary strike group’ concept into action.
 

FORBIN

Lieutenant General
Registered Member
The 12 EA-18G in service ! 6th Sqn, 1st have all 24 Super Hornets to Amberley also
24 F/A-18F
54
F-18A
15
F-18B
12
EA-18G
105
combattants + 12
Ofc F-35A right now only for training

Growler full fleet arrive in Australia

7 July 2017

Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, together with Air Vice Marshal Steven Roberton, Air Commander Australia; today welcomed the full fleet of EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft to RAAF Base Amberley.

Since the first two Growlers arrived in Australia in February 2017, the fleet has grown to the full twelve aircraft.

Minister Payne said the arrival of the Growler provides a potent and technologically advanced new capability for the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

“We are the only country outside the United States operating the EA-18G Growler and the full fleet arrival represents a significant leap forward in joint electronic warfare capability,” Minister Payne said.

“This is an amazing achievement for the ADF. These aircraft are able to support the full spectrum of Defence missions, including operations with coalition partners.

“The EA-18G Growlers will work with Army and Navy to deliver a networked joint force able to manoeuvre and fight in the electromagnetic spectrum.

“The arrival affirms the Government’s commitment to maintain our capability edge and prepare for the more complex and high-tech conflicts of the future.”

Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Leo Davies said he was extremely proud of all the personnel who have worked on this project both in Australia and overseas.

“The delivery of this capability shows what our Defence Force members are capable of alongside our US counterparts,” Air Marshal Davies said.

“The US Navy has been very generous in their training of our aircrew and maintenance teams, and we have cemented our reputation as credible coalition partners.

“Australian Growlers have already conducted successful weapon firings and integration flights with RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornets and US Navy EA-18G Growlers as part of Operational Test and Evaluation. We have also had the graduation of the first Operational Transition course.

“Through our partnership with the US Navy we are already planning to keep Growler at the forefront of electronic attack capability throughout the life of the aircraft.

“I wish to acknowledge the commitment of RAAF Base Amberley, the Estate & Industry Group and the 6 Squadron families who have generated the home of this exciting new aircraft.”

The Growler is based on the F/A-18F Super Hornet airframe and fitted with additional avionics, enhanced radio frequency receivers, an improved communications suite and radio-frequency jamming pods that enable it to jam enemy systems. It will provide a complementary capability to the F/A-18F Super Hornet and the F-35A Lightning II aircraft.

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
 
Apr 18, 2017
now I read Components selection ramps up in massive French-Australian submarine deal
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

interestingly "An industry executive said some €20 billion was the core amount, with 75 percent for DCNS and 25 percent for Lockheed."
related:
States join forces for Australian content
July 16, 2017
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

State defence ministers have forgone state rivalries for the sake of Australian industry, writing a letter to a Senate inquiry into the naval shipbuilding industry, Defence Connect reports.

South Australia’s Minister for Defence Industries Martin Hamilton-Smith, Victoria’s Minister for Industry and Employment Wade Noonan and Western Australia’s Minister for Defence Issues Paul Papalia have joined forces to address their concerns about the Future Submarine Program (FSP), Australia’s largest ever defence acquisition.

The trio state that the federal government must mandate a minimum of 60 per cent of Australian industry involvement of the contract value on each stage of the $50 billion project.

The ministers have argued that, without said mandate, Australia will not have the ability to develop truly sovereign naval capabilities.

The letter has eight policy approaches to ensure Australian industry has appropriate opportunities to participate in the FSP.

1. The prime contractors for the future submarine program, Naval Group (formerly known as DCNS) and Lockheed Martin, must be contractually obliged to work with the Department of Defence to optimise Australian industry involvement in this program. Consideration must be given to the establishment of a minimum level of Australian industry participation by value of the contract entered into. It is noted that the Minister for Defence Industy Christopher Pyne has publicly confirmed the government’s expectation of high levels of Australian industry involvement.

2. Contracts with Naval Group and Lockheed Martin should mandate minimum Australian industry involvement by value for each stage of the program, and an overall program benchmark should be a minimum of 60 per cent. This should be informed by the identification of components of work that can be undertaken by Australians, and the identification of organisations that have the capability or potential capability to perform the work.

3. A contractual obligation should stipulate that Australian organisations must receive, apply and develop the technology and know-how from Naval Group and Lockheed Martin, subject to appropriate national security, commercial and intellectual property arrangements.

4. The contracts with Naval Group and Lockheed Martin should oblige the prime contractors to work with relevant organisations that have knowledge of and contact with Australian defence industry companies and their capabilities, and which can provide a clearinghouse role for the primes to access local industry. Contractual incentives should be considered to further maximise local work.

5. The same approach should be adopted in relation to the research and scientific endeavour to develop and support the submarines. It is in the national interest that knowledge is transferred from overseas and embedded in the Australian research community in order to develop, construct and maintain the submarines, and its design and technological evolution, in the decades ahead.

6. Naval Group and Lockheed Martin should be contractually obliged to establish a clearinghouse in conjunction with the Defence Science and Technology Group for access to Australian research and development knowledge as portals for accessing the appropriate expertise in the Australian scientific community.

7. To reinforce the strategic and economic importance of Australian industry involvement in the program, the Commonwealth government should require that an Australian citizen be chairman of Naval Group Australia. A minimum number of Australian citizens on the board should also be stipulated.

8. A target year should be set for an all-Australian workforce working on the construction and maintenance of Australian submarines.

The letter comes after “damning evidence” was presented at a Senate hearing that Senator Nick Xenophon said indicated Naval Group had backed away from its initial local build and assembly commitment.

Naval Group Australia chief executive Brent Clark said that, while he was reluctant to put a figure forward until one has been finalised, “from our perspective we would imagine that at least – at least – an aim point of greater than 60 per cent would be something that we aim for”.

Now Xenaphon has said the company has backed away from its initial commitment to Australian industry, reducing it to a “rubbery” figure of 60 per cent.

“Sixty per cent falls well short of the 70 per cent achieved during the build of Collins and the 90 per cent promised for the Future Submarine Program by Minister Pyne on Q&A last year and by DCNS before a parliamentary committee in March this year,” said Xenophon.

A spokeswoman for Minister Pyne told Defence Connect the government will ensure Australian industry contribution is maximised and is aiming for benchmarks previously set by the Collins Class submarines.

“It is the Turnbull government that has made a virtue of Australian industry content. No government before, Labor or Coalition, has made a bigger commitment to using the heft of the defence build-up to drive industry, jobs and research and development,” the spokeswoman said.

“The fleet of 12 new submarines will be built in Australia, by Australians, using Australian steel, creating over 2,800 jobs.

“The government will ensure Australian content is maximised in the $50 billion future submarine program and is currently in the process of finalising these details with DCNS.

“A recent review of the Collins Class submarines found that the Australian industry content sits around 82 per cent. It is these kind of benchmarks that we are looking to leverage across our shipbuilding programs.

“Every decision the Turnbull government has made reinforces this commitment.

“No government has been more committed to Defence and defence industry than this Coalition government.”

Naval Group was awarded the Future Submarine contract in 2016. Construction of the 12 submarines will begin in 2021-22.

The first of the 12 submarines is likely to begin entering service in the early 2030s. Construction will extend into the late 2040s to 2050 timeframe.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top