Australian Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

Lost in the

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was serious consideration on leasing Virginia-class boats from the U.S. According to a former Bush administration official, conversations were held but failed to progress due in part because Canberra was not entirely confident the U.S. government would agree.

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Brumby said:

Australia’s Submarines: The US Option

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Sooner of later, this topic will surface as a talking point.

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Bltizo said:

Either intentional or not, that was a good pun.

Anyway, it may become a talking point, but I can't see Australia's relative opposition to nuclear power allowing them to operate nuclear subs. Not to mention a Virginia is quite a bit larger than a Collins, so it may be overkill for the kind of capabilities that the want.

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Brumby said:

The idea itself might be feasible but the main hurdle as indicated in the article would be the US reluctance to share such a core technology. In a lease arrangement, the terms could be structured that any nuclear waste is handled by the lessor and in particular when the boat is turned in upon the end of the lease. Cross manning would also address Australia's problem of crewing. In view of the long transit requirement, nuclear propulsion would actually be a good fit. A modified Virginia (sensitive technology removed) would remove some of the development risk associated with the Australian program. Nevertheless the fact that it is simply a talking point means it is not an option that is seriously being considered.

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SamuraiBlue said:

From what I heard, realistically the US ship builders who are doing the Virginia class doesn't have capacity beyond the present USN order. So it's only a nice "What IF" scenario.

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Australia said Thursday it would continue scheduled live-fire naval exercises with China, even after close ally the United States sent a warship into disputed South China Sea waters this week.

On Tuesday, Washington sent its USS Lassen destroyer within 12 nautical miles of small artificial islands in the South China Sea claimed by Beijing and vowed to send more, sparking fury in China.

The disputed waters — claimed in part by Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines and others — have become the stage for a burgeoning tussle between the world's two largest economic and military powers as they struggle for regional dominance.

Australia's Defence Minister Marise Payne said after the incident she supported the Americans' right to freedom of navigation under international law, but added that Canberra was not involved in the US action.

A spokesman for Payne on Thursday said that contrary to reports, two Royal Australian Navy ships would still take part in exercises with their Chinese counterparts off the southeastern Chinese coast near the disputed Spratly Islands.

"HMAS ships Stuart and Arunta will visit Zhanjiang, in Guangdong province, China, soon during their North Asia deployment," the spokesman said in a statement.

The exercises are expected to start in the coming days, although no precise dates were given.

"There have been no changes or delays to the schedule of the HMAS Arunta and HMAS Stuart since the United States activity in the South China Sea on 27 October 2015," the spokesman added.

The Australian Navy last conducted live-fire naval exercises with China in 2010.

Australia is a key Pacific ally of the United States and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said this month after talks in Washington the two nations were "on the same page" over the issue of freedom of navigation in the seas and skies.

Recently appointed Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said in September China should ease off island construction in the South China Sea if it wanted a reduced US presence in the region.

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Brumby said:

The idea itself might be feasible but the main hurdle as indicated in the article would be the US reluctance to share such a core technology. In a lease arrangement, the terms could be structured that any nuclear waste is handled by the lessor and in particular when the boat is turned in upon the end of the lease. Cross manning would also address Australia's problem of crewing. In view of the long transit requirement, nuclear propulsion would actually be a good fit. A modified Virginia (sensitive technology removed) would remove some of the development risk associated with the Australian program. Nevertheless the fact that it is simply a talking point means it is not an option that is seriously being considered.

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Naval Today said:

Royal Australian Navy is getting ready to decommission HMAS Sydney this week after her 32 years of service.

The ceremony, to be held on Saturday, alongside at the vessel’s home port of Garden Island, Fleet Base East, Sydney, will mark the end of more than three decades of service for this vessel, which has provided the Australian Defence Force with significant support in the conduct of maritime operations spanning the globe.

Prior to decommissioning, Sydney’s ship’s company will exercise Freedom of Entry to the City of Sydney.

This move will make way for the Navy’s new fleet of Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyers.

Sydney (IV) was commissioned on January 29, 1983, and is the fourth ship to bear the name. During her service life, the ship received battle honours for service in Kuwait, East Timor, the Persian Gulf and Iraq.

The vessel concluded

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in February.

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