Australian Navy wants extra landing ship and destroyer, plus Tomahawks and F-35B.

Well, here's an impressive shopping list!

Aircraft carrier on navy's secret $4bn wish list

The RAN wants a third 26,000 tonne amphibious ship equipped with vertical take-off jet fighters, a fourth $2 billion air warfare destroyer and cruise missiles that could strike targets thousands of kilometres away.

The list comes at a time when the RAN can barely find enough sailors to crew its existing fleet.

Not the best timing given the new Governments pledge to reign in Defence spending. Though there is some merit to the ideas, especially given the F-11 retirement. Personally I don't see it happening, but then again, stranger things have happened!

reply to post by Willard856


The 4th AWD should almost be a certain the labour party
will need the votes in south australia come next election.

Bomber Beazley wants 12 new SUBS with the cruise missiles.
Basicly the F-111 replacement WILL be the new subs not the super hornets. (In terms of strategic deterrence.)

3rd LHD whose primary purpose would be the sustainment of the two LHD we're already getting (i.e. so that the RAN can guarantee the availability of two LHD at any time).

Originlly posted by Willard856
Australian Navy wants extra landing ship and destroyer, plus Tomahawks and F-35B

Bolding mine

What made you think F-35B?

In your article it says:

The fighters would cost about $100 million each

This would be in Australian Dollars, which is nowhere near the US$200 Million unit cost for the F-35 Lightning II.

Also in your article, it says:

The Spanish navy will carry 30 Harrier jump jets aboard its similar ships.

CT

The F-35B is the most expensive of the three but it will be no where near 200 million (fly away). 100 Million with training, weapons, spares etc... plus export taxes sounds reasonable. The topic of Australia purchasing carriers has been floated and discussed here before and some of us had predicted this. Using LHD's as carriers for a small contingent of STOVL fighters.

What I would love to know is why does the Australian Givernment feel this strategic increase is warranted and what possible future threats do they see approaching us both in the near future and further on?

This to me seems like they are preparing for a stronger defensive position against our north.

Just speculation. What do you guys reckon?

Originally posted by Melbourne_Militia
What I would love to know is why does the Australian Givernment feel this strategic increase is warranted and what possible future threats do they see approaching us both in the near future and further on?

Australia is between the crossroads to the Pacific and Indian Ocean's, and in one side you have the Chinese and on the other the Indians. The latter is currently viewed as less of a thread, but the PRC is not... Australia is part of the containment effort with regards to China speared headed by the US and Japan.

reply to post by Conspiracy Theorist


I assumed F-35B for a few reasons, mainly that Australia being part of the JSF program already, and looking to the fifth generation future, I ruled out other platforms such as Harrier. Then it was a simply question of which of the jets could operate from the LHDs, and my understanding is that the F-35B is the only one that can.

Just to make it clear, this report is in no way saying it is going to happen. It is simply speculation based on the desires of some of the senior brass to reinvigorate the Navy counter air capability (most of who feel, perhaps with some justification, that too much emphasis is being placed on RAAF air combat needs at the moment that won't provide the RAN with the support they want).

Ahh!
So they finally heard me out about the a/c carrier?
~silly grin~

So a new amphibious ship with F-35Bs. The other two will not have the VTOL capability? Just wanted to confirm if we're a talking 1 a/c carrier or 3.

Then the next question: How many jets per ship? 26000 ton so ~15-20 a/c?

Note: This might take another spin by encouraging the Malaysians and Indonesians to go ahead and make those BrahMos missiles et al.

IIRC, the Navantia BPE design on wich the Canberra class LHD's are based, has specifically been given a reinforced deck to allow STOVL operation as well as heavy V-22 type aircraft. The problem with the LHD's lies below the main deck. In order to operate fixed wing fighters for anything other than short term, they need hangar space which would necessitate a different internal layout, probably with the well deck omitted. It is also unlikely that the Canberra/BPE design would have adequate room/length for a steam catapult set up for CTOL op's and of course no angled flight deck. Hence the need to operate Harrier/ F-35B type aircraft.

It is odd though that the Navy would make this "wish list" public at a time when 3 of the 4 systems mentioned in it (LHD's, AWD's, F-35) are looking like they are on shaky ground because of possible budget restraint.

LEE.

[edit on 8-4-2008 by thebozeian]