Australian Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

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Yazzinra

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US pressure resulted in France breaking the contract only right they should pay

A little off topic, but in hindsight, we (im in the US) should have bought them for us. My understanding is they had stronger hulls than the normal Mistral class for arctic operations. According to our illustrious leadership, we could use that capability. Why does Egypt want any LHDs?
 
Jan 24, 2018
Feb 28, 2017
now Growlers to deploy overseas for international exercise

22 January 2018
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while now (dated 30 April, 2019)
RAAF EA-18Gs achieve IOC
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The Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) fleet of Boeing EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft have achieved initial operating capability (IOC).

“Over time, this aircraft will work with Army and Navy platforms to enhance our ability to control the electronic environment, and where necessary, deny or degrade the electronic systems of adversaries,” says Air Marshal Leo Davies.

“This will provide a capability edge by enhancing tactical options to reduce risks to Australian and partner maritime, land and air forces in more complex and high-tech conflicts of the future.”

Canberra operates 11 EA-18Gs from RAAF Amberley. It formerly had 12, but one was lost in early 2018 owing to the catastrophic failure of a fan disk in its left side General Electric F414 engine. The aircraft was attempting to take off from Nellis AFB near Las Vegas during a Red Flag-series exercise. No personnel were injured, but the aircraft was a write-off.

The RAAF has yet to decide if the 12th Growler will be replaced. Options could include modifying one of the RAAF’s existing F/A-18Es or buying a new aircraft.

The RAAF is one of two militaries to operate the Growler. The US Navy operates 169 examples with two on order. The EA-18G replaced the venerable Grumman EA-6B Prowler in US Navy service.
 
Nov 24, 2017
I'm new to this, so "a surprise twist" below couldn't surprise me LOL!
Austal, ASC and Civmec to build Luerssen Offshore Patrol Vessels under $3.6b Sea 1180 tender
24 November 2017
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now located:
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and now the vid:
anyway
Keel laid for Australia’s first Arafura-class offshore patrol vessel
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The Royal Australian Navy’s Arafura-class Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) program reached a new milestone on Friday as the keel for the lead ship in the class was laid at at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in Adelaide.

Chief of the Royal Australian Navy, Vice Admiral Michael Noonan AO, RAN positioned a coin to commemorate the laying of the keel for the first vessel to be named Arafura.

“The keel laying ceremony represents a great naval tradition and I am honoured to be joined today by the two youngest shipbuilders in the Osborne shipyard in placing the commemorative coin under the keel,” Vice Admiral Noonan said.

This project will see the delivery of 12 OPVs to the Royal Australian Navy to replace the Armidale-class patrol boats.

The class is named for the Arafura Sea between Australia and Indonesia, acknowledging the importance placed on the coastal regions around Australia and their significant role in the nation’s security and economic prosperity.

“I would like to thank our defence industry counterparts and Defence’s Capability Acquisition & Sustainment Group for their collective efforts to get us to this point on time and budget,” Vice Admiral Noonan said.

Prime contractor Luerssen Australia along with shipbuilding sub-contractor ASC started construction of the first vessel on 15 November 2018.

The first ship will be launched in 2021, with the second ship to be launched from the Osborne shipyard in 2022.

Construction of the third vessel will move in 2020 to the Henderson Maritime Precinct in Western Australia, where the remaining 10 vessels will be constructed.
 
cool to read in a landlocked country about First Australian frigate to complete AMCAP upgrade tests stability
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The first Royal Australian Navy Anzac-class frigate to undergo the Anzac Midlife Capability Assurance Program (AMCAP) upgrade has completed the inclining experiment at Henderson Shipyard, Western Australia to test stability.

HMAS Arunta underwent the test after more than a year out of the water as part of the upgrade.

An inclining experiment is a test performed on a ship to determine its stability, lightship weight and the coordinates of its center of gravity. The experiment is applied to newly constructed ships greater than 24m in length, and to ships altered in ways that could affect stability.

The weight of a ship can be readily determined by reading draughts and comparing with the known hydrostatic properties. The ‘metacentric height’ (GM), which dominates stability, can be estimated from the design, but an accurate value must be determined by an inclining experiment.

The experiment involves positioning the ship in a still body of water and applying weights in varying configurations throughout the ship and measuring the list of the ship for each configuration.

The experiment that was performed on HMAS Arunta will be used as a basis for updating the trim and stability handbook for all future AMCAP ships.

The upgrade, being implemented by the Warship Asset Management Agreement (WAMA), includes significant improvements to major platform systems such as the communications center, and the replacement of the ship’s long range air search radar.

As explained, the replacement mast is taller and wider than the existing mast so that it can accommodate the new CEA L-Band radar system, while retaining the existing anti-ship missile defense radar capability. The new L-Band radar capability will be integrated into the existing combat management systems of the ships by SAAB Australia.

Arunta’s Marine Engineer Officer, Lieutenant Commander Leonard Woodman, said the inclining experiment is another important milestone for both Arunta and the Anzac Mid-Life Capability Assurance Program (AMCAP).

“The inclining experiment, while being a standard practice after a significant upgrade, has provided good data that will support all the ships that come after us on the AMCAP,” he said.

The AMCAP aims to remediate obsolescence issues and upgrades ship systems, positioning the Anzac Class ships for sustainment and maintenance of its warfare systems capabilities.

WAMA is an alliance consisting of the Commonwealth, BAE Systems Australia, Saab Australia and Naval Ship Management Australia.

Arunta is the first ship to complete the AMCAP upgrade and is scheduled to return to the fleet this year. HMAS Anzac, Arunta’s sister ship has already started upgrade work at the Henderson facility.
 
noted
Sailor shortage strands Australian warship HMAS Perth in dry dock for two years
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One of the Navy's recently upgraded Anzac class frigates has been stuck in dry dock since 2017, because the ADF is struggling to find enough sailors to put the warship to sea.

The situation, first uncovered by the auditor-general in March, has been highlighted in a new report that closely examines Australia's $38.7 billion annual defence spend.

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute's (ASPI) latest "The Cost of Defence" report confirms military spending will easily reach the Government's target of 2 per cent of GDP by next financial year.

However, the ASPI study also found the ADF had failed to achieve "modest" personnel recruitment goals laid out in the most recent defence white paper, published in 2016.

"Overall, it's only increased by 600 actual people against a target of around 1,730 over the period since the white paper," the report concluded.

Report author and former Defence official Marcus Hellyer said the recruitment problem was underlined by the case of an Anzac frigate that had been out of operation since October 2017.

"HMAS Perth, one of Navy's frigates, had gone through a very extensive refit and upgrade, got new radar capabilities, so a lot of investment went into that, but at the end of that process Navy couldn't find a crew for it," Dr Hellyer said.

"So, it's essentially sitting up on blocks for two years, out of the water because Navy doesn't have the people and I think that's really a microcosm of the challenges the defence force is facing.

Australia maintains a fleet of eight Anzac class frigates, although Dr Hellyer noted two of the warships were almost always in deep maintenance, meaning only six at most were available at any one time.

Report calls for more unmanned technology
The ASPI report also called on the Australian Defence Force to "devote more resources to autonomous systems", such as unmanned submarines and aircraft drones.

"One of the advantages of autonomous systems is less people, because these systems can do a lot of the job themselves," Dr Hellyer said.

"Much of the cost of military platforms is due to the need to keep the crew alive, as is much of the complexity of design.

"Remove the crew, and the cost, risk and schedule needed to design and build the platforms decreases dramatically."
 
interestingly,
Australian DoD denies any involvement in reported planning for a new deep-water port near Darwin
Australia’s Department of Defence (DoD) has denied any involvement in classified or unclassified planning to develop a new deep-water port near Darwin to support the deployment of US Marines for training in Australia.

The DoD’s statement follows a 23 June report by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), which quoted multiple unnamed officials as saying that secret planning had begun for a new multi-use port facility in the Glyde Point area. This location is about 40 km northeast of Darwin’s existing port, which was controversially leased in 2015 to Chinese company Landbridge Group for 99 years by the government of Australia’s Northern Territory.

...
... and the rest is behind paywall at Jane's
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sounds fancy
Australia: $535 million Osborne naval shipyard project makes progress
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The construction of the digitally-enabled shipyard infrastructure at Osborne South is on track for completion by March 2020, ahead of the commencement of production prototyping on the $35 billion
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, Australian defense ministers said.


Australian Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC, and Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Melissa Price MP, inspected last week
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in South Australia.

“We’re now witnessing the future of naval shipbuilding in South Australia take shape, with the fabrication and assembly halls at Osborne South changing the landscape of the Osborne Naval Shipyard precinct,” Minister Reynolds said.

“When completed next year, Australia will have the most technologically advanced naval shipyard for design and production of our navy’s future fleet – a significant step in preserving our world-class military capability.”

As informed, the $535 million investment has seen more than 40,000 cubic meters of concrete poured for the foundation slabs and 25,000 tons of steel sourced.

Minister Reynolds also met with the Premier of South Australia, the Hon Steven Marshall MP, to discuss emerging industry and investment opportunities for businesses interested in participating in the Naval Shipbuilding Enterprise.

“Construction on the first two Arafura-class Offshore Patrol Vessels continues at a steady pace, creating 200 direct Australian jobs and I’m impressed with the high quality of work on display at Osborne,” Minister Price noted.

“Structural upgrades to the third Air Warfare Destroyer, NUSHIP Sydney, are well underway and will deliver a world-class capability to the navy when she enters service early next year.”

Minister Price further said naval shipbuilding is one of many defense industry programs in the state and 14 Defence Innovation Hub contracts, worth a combined investment of $29 million, had already been awarded to South Australian companies.

Separately, Minister Price said she “is encouraging Australian businesses to back themselves and get involved in the Hunter-class frigate program.”

The Minister welcomed advice that more than 100 Australian suppliers have attended a procurement update in Adelaide to see how they can tap into the prototyping phase of the project, which will begin in 2020.

Defense industry businesses that supply minor equipment, material and services can support the first tranche of work, worth an estimated $20 million, as part of the $35 billion surface combatant acquisition program, the largest in Australia’s history.
 
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