Royal Australian Navy (RAN): News

Half of Australia's existing submarine fleet out of service
03.08.2009

One of two Australian Navy submarines out of service, reports ABC News. Submarine HMAS Collins sent for repairs to the port of Adelaide.

Australia's Defense Ministry did not specify what exactly happened to the submarine. However, the independent organization The Australia Defence Association Neil James said that the submarine had broken down the engine when she participated in exercises in the south of the Big Australian gulf.

45 members of the crew of the submarine to Her Majesty "Collins" (HMAS Collins) also landed on the beach in Adelaide. Most of them will have to return to base, located in western Australia, during the month. It was expected that already in 2009, renovated submarine will be able to return to the sea.

Australia's submarine fleet consists of six submarines, but the only two of them. The remaining time is for repairs, or used only for training exercises.

http://www.lenta.ru/

Looking at the damage to the USS San Francisco....and this....

Are they running into mines where somebody wants them out of?

Is there a picture somewhere of the Aussie sub showing damages?

The Submarine Problem - Deeper Than Meets the Eye

It’s been said so often but never actually examined in great detail - the Future Submarine Program is strategic for Japan and Australia. In speaking to the submarine community, past and present, what comes through is that cooperation with Japan results in a Future Submarine that can approach the performances of Collins but only with a completely new design and one that will definitely not be regionally superior post 2030. This is alarming and requires pause for thought.

The root-cause of this problem is that Japan does not have any technology that is, well, regionally superior. Indeed, it is the reverse situation - Japan’s relative submarine capability is improved by the Future Submarine Program but not Australia’s.

The Future Submarine is strategic for Japan, but not for Australia.

The Australian Government tells us that the next generation of RAN submarines will be regionally superior because they will have higher performances in stealth, sensors, range and endurance, and of course the US-origin combat system and weapons. With superior performances in these areas, the Future Submarine can outmatch any other submarine the RAN might conceivably fight, including the nearly silent nuclear attack submarines emerging from Russia and in the future, China. In the decades to come these submarines will hunt, and be hunted by, Australian submarines and it’s important to note that the RAN may not get to choose who to fight or when – they might choose us.

But what if the international partner for Australia has no better technology than we already have access to? The undeniable logic is the Future Submarine will offer performances no better than the Collins Class Submarine it replaces. An ‘Australianised’ Soryu will not be regionally superior beyond 2030. This is the critical issue.

To say it in plain English, if the Collins were to fight the Soryu today Collins would kill it every time. And there is no technology offered by Japan to suggest any evolution of the Soryu can change this situation in the future.

None.

In lobbying Australia to accept their submarine, Japan has disclosed enough about its own capabilities in open literature to prove this. The Soryu Class, Japan’s most modern submarine, offers no improvement over Collins in any capability area – not stealth, not sonar, not range nor endurance and not combat system or weapon. Moreover, there is no objective evidence that Japan can overcome these problems with a new design. Let's examine the case for the Soryu point by point.

Prime Minister and Minister for Defence – Continuous Naval Shipbuilding

The Turnbull Government is securing a sustainable long-term Australian naval shipbuilding industry. Today the Government is announcing the build locations for 12 Offshore Patrol Vessels and up to 21 Pacific Patrol Boats, in addition to nine Future Frigates previously announced.

These announcements provide for two shipyards to implement the Government’s commitment to a continuous build of naval surface ships in Australia. Major warships will be built in Adelaide and minor vessels in Henderson, Western Australia.

These three projects will ensure Australia retains a sovereign capability to build and sustain its naval vessels. Together they represent close to $40 billion worth of investment in Australia’s future naval capabilities and our naval shipbuilding industry.

They will directly secure more than 2,500 jobs for decades to come. They will also generate thousands of additional jobs with suppliers.

Offshore Patrol Vessels

-- First pass approval for the Offshore Patrol Vessels, with construction to begin in Adelaide from 2018, following the completion of the Air Warfare Destroyers and transfer to Western Australia when the Future Frigate construction begins in Adelaide in 2020. This approach ensures that jobs and skills are retained in Adelaide.

-- As part of the Competitive Evaluation Process three designers have been shortlisted; Damen of the Netherlands, Fassmer of Germany, and Lurssen of Germany to refine their designs.

-- This program is estimated to be worth more than $3 billion and will create over 400 direct jobs.

Future Frigates

-- First pass approval for the Future Frigates. Three designers – BAE Systems with the Type 26 Frigate; Fincantieri with the FREMM Frigate, and Navantia with a redesigned F100 – have been short-listed to refine their designs. The frigates will all be built in Adelaide, incorporating the Australian-developed CEA Phased-Array Radar.

-- The Competitive Evaluation Process is on schedule to return second pass approval in 2018, which will allow for construction to commence in Adelaide in 2020.

-- This program is estimated to be worth more than $35 billion, and will directly create over 2000 jobs.

Pacific Patrol Boats

-- Combined first and second pass approval for the replacement Pacific Patrol Boats. Austal Ships Pty Ltd has been selected as the preferred tenderer to construct and maintain up to twenty-one replacement steel-hulled Pacific Patrol Boats in Henderson, Western Australia.

-- Subject to negotiations, this program is estimated to be worth more than $500 million and will directly create over 130 jobs.

-- Austal proposes to conduct support of the replacement Pacific Patrol Boats including deep maintenance from Cairns, Queensland. In total, through-life support and sustainment (including deep maintenance) for the Pacific Patrol Boats is valued at a further $400 million over the life of the boats.

Today’s announcements are central to the Government’s comprehensive Naval Shipbuilding Plan. These three significant ship builds will deliver the necessary infrastructure requirements across the Adelaide and Henderson shipyards. They will create new jobs, develop necessary skills and broaden cooperation between industry and government.

The Turnbull Government is committed to maximising the opportunities for our Australian Defence industry to participate in these shipbuilding programs. Through the Defence Industry Policy Statement the Turnbull Government will reset the relationship between Defence and industry, driving jobs and innovation which will have spillover effects into the wider economy.

In particular, the new Centre for Defence Industry Capability will help small to medium enterprises identify opportunities to join the supply chains necessary to deliver these ambitious naval shipbuilding projects.

After six years of Labor inaction in which more than $18 billion was ripped from the Defence budget, the Turnbull Government is getting on with the job of securing our long-term national security and economic prosperity. The Government’s historic continuous build program will ensure the Navy receives its future capability requirements while delivering the certainty that shipbuilders need.

Future Australian subs

"The Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull this morning named France as the winner of the $50 billion submarine bid, pipping Germany and Japan to build the next generation of submarines for the Royal Australian Navy, reported theaustralian.com.au.

The French shipbuilding giant DCNS has sold smaller submarines to India, Malaysia, Chile and Brazil, but its chairman and CEO said that only Australia is being offered advanced sonar and stealth technology similar to systems on French nuclear missile submarines.

DCNS is a state-controlled company that is one of Europe’s largest defense firms, building submarines, destroyers and aircraft carriers. The Japanese government wants Australia to explain why it decided not to pick a Japanese design for a new fleet of submarines, choosing instead a proposal from France’s DCNS.

“The decision was deeply regrettable,” said Japan Defence Minister Gen Nakatani. “We will ask Australia to explain why they didn’t pick our design.” Australian officials informed Japan of its choice on Monday, explaining that the French design best fitted its unique needs, Nakatani said.

The Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull this morning named France as the winner of the $50 billion submarine bid, pipping Germany and Japan to build the next generation of submarines for the Royal Australian Navy."

Source: http://defence-blog.com/news/france-wins-50bn-contract-for-a-new-australian-fleet-of-submarines.html

Australian army to receive new electronic surveillance system

http://echelon-defense.com/2016/10/01/australian-army-to-receive-new-electronic-surveillance-system/

George1 wrote:France and Australia have signed a multibillion dollar deal for the construction of 12 cutting-edge diesel-electric powered submarines. The deal has been branded the "defense contract of the century" by French officials.

Read more: https://sputniknews.com/military/201612201048803061-australia-france-submarine-deal/

I must say this sub looks sooooo good in terms of performance. Tho.. its not that cheap.

George1 wrote:Αustralia had 6 submarines and now goes for 12. The double number. Isnt that a sign of militray build up? i guess they want to become USA's close military partner in asia-pacific region

Australia sees naval expansion of China threatning, at least judging by their newspapers, so i assume that is the reason. But not only China, they seem to be more than suspicious of Indonesia, Taiwan and others too...

Australia flexes bigger naval muscles at China

A fleet of 12 Future Submarines is twice the size of its current Collins Class fleet. Australia has just announced a A$35 billion (US$25.3 billion) investment in the British BAE Type 26 frigate, viewed as one of the most capable anti-submarine ships in the world.
While these ships might be extremely capable, Australia will not have enough of them to seriously counterbalance China, which is why regional defense alliances will become even more important.
Australia’s Navy is accustomed to exercising in task force groups with the US Navy, but it has less experience in doing so with regional allies where it may be required to take the lead in future.
Perhaps this is something Australian politicians might consider as they ponder the implications of Trump’s policy, and what that means for how they deploy and develop their Navy.
http://www.atimes.com/article/australia-flexes-bigger-naval-muscles-at-china/?utm_source=The+Daily+Report&utm_campaign=c471ae694f-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_08_15_01_12&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1f8bca137f-c471ae694f-31607385

Even if fleets of RAN, RNZN, Indonesian, Malaysian, Vietnamese, & Philippine Navies/AFs r combined, they'll be no match for the PLAN/AF in their AOR:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_New_Zealand_Navy#Current_fleet
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equipment_of_the_Indonesian_Navy#Ships
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equipment_of_the_Royal_Malaysian_Navy#Current_ships
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_equipment_of_the_Vietnam_People%27s_Navy#Vessels
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_Navy#Naval_Vessels
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_People%27s_Liberation_Army_Navy_ships
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Liberation_Army_Naval_Air_Force#Equipment
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Liberation_Army_Air_Force#Current_inventory

The IN, JMSDF, & the USN/RN/FNs, should they deploy in SE Asia/S. Pac. may/will be also helped/checked/neutralized by the PN, RTN & the RFN & AFs before &/ after they get there.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_Indian_Navy_ships
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Naval_Air_Arm#Fixed-wing_aircraft
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_Indian_military_aircraft#Air_Force
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_Japan_Maritime_Self-Defense_Force_ships
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Maritime_Self-Defense_Force_aviation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistan_Navy#Naval_fleet
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_equipment_in_Royal_Thai_Navy#Ships
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Thai_Air_Force#Current_inventory
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_Russian_Navy_ships
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Fleet_(Russia)#Current_fleet

In the second half of 2018, Russian naval units in the Pacific are expected to receive two improved Project 22800 guided-missile corvettes, one Project 21980 Grachenok counter-sabotage high-speed armed patrol craft and some minor auxiliary vessels, ..
And much more is to come. Pacific units expect to take possession of at least 30 new warships (11 new submarines and 19 new surface combatants) and seven new major auxiliary vessels by 2024, Muraviev said. These include guided-missile frigates, guided-missile corvettes and mine hunters. http://www.atimes.com/article/russia-expands-assets-and-naval-horizons-across-indo-pacific/?utm_source=The+Daily+Report&utm_campaign=c471ae694f-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_08_15_01_12&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1f8bca137f-c471ae694f-31607385