Australia To Bet Big On Heavily Armed, Optionally Crewed Warships by Joseph Trevithick
February 20, 2024
Introduction:
(The Drive) Australian authorities want to acquire a new class of six optionally-crewed ships for the country's navy as part of a cooperative effort with the U.S. Navy. The plan is for these vessels, each of which will have 32 vertical launch system cells, to provide additional distributed magazine depth at a lower cost to bolster the capabilities of the country's larger surface combatants. This is part of broader plan to transform and roughly double the size of the Royal Australian Navy's major surface combatant fleets by the 2040s that also includes the acquisition of up to 11 new general purpose frigates.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's government released an unclassified summary of the new overall plan for the Royal Australian Navy's surface fleets, which is the product of an independent analysis that builds out from the 2023 Defense Strategic Review (DSR), yesterday. In addition to the planned acquisition of the six optionally-crewed ships and between seven and 11 general purpose frigates, the review also calls for trimming back the planned fleet of new Hunter class frigates from nine to six ships, a cut to Arafura class Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) procurement from 12 to six ships, and the acquisition of additional small patrol boats.
A major planned upgrade and life extension program for the Royal Australian Navy's existing Anzac class frigates is also now set to be axed, though some of those ships are still set to receive enhanced maritime strike capabilities.
The inclusion of the six optionally-crewed vessels in the new Royal Australian Navy fleet plan is particularly eye-catching as this is a type of ship not in any way in service in the country, or anywhere else in the world currently.
Additional extract:
The United States and Australia, as well as the United Kingdom, are of course very actively cooperating on a host of defense and security issues through the trilateral AUKUS agreement. This includes plans to assist the Royal Australian Navy in its acquisition of new fleets of nuclear-powered attack submarines, starting first with U.S.-made Virginia class types and then moving on to examples of a new design.
Australia, Britain, U.S. Drop Defence Trade Barriers to Propel AUKUS by Kirsty Needham
August 15, 2024
Introduction:
SYDNEY (Reuters via U.S. News) - Australia, the United States and Britain have removed significant barriers on defence trade between the AUKUS partners and opened the way for faster approvals for highly sensitive technologies, Australian officials said.
The move is seen as a significant step for Australia to acquire U.S. nuclear-powered attack submarines and jointly develop with the U.S. and Britain a new class of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine over the next two decades.
The AUKUS partners are also developing advanced defence technology spanning hypersonic missiles, undersea drones and quantum technologies, with the reforms expected to speed up the transition of these projects from research to production.
The United States is Australia's closest security ally, but had restricted sharing of closely guarded defence technology, which is governed by the U.S. International Trafficking in Arms Regulations (ITAR).
There had been delays by the U.S. State Department in finalising exemptions for Australia and Britain under ITAR, which required the AUKUS partners to show they had export control regimes equivalent to the United States
Australia to Buy Advanced US Missiles In $4.7 Billion Deal October 21, 2024
Introduction:
(Barron’s) Australia announced Tuesday a $4.7 billion deal to arm its navy with cutting-edge US medium and long-range missiles at a time of rapidly escalating military tensions in the Asia-Pacific.
The agreement, hailed by Canberra as a "significant milestone", retools Australia's naval defences in line with a new strategy unveiled this year to deter China's "coercive tactics" in the region.
Australia said it would spend Aus$7 billion (US$4.7 billion) to acquire the ship-borne SM-6 missile, which can strike aircraft and cruise missiles, and the medium-range SM-2 Block III C missile boasting new guidance and homing capabilities.
"Australia faces the most complex geo-strategic environment since the Second World War," said Australia's minister for defence industry, Pat Conroy, who was visiting Washington.
The "world-leading" missiles would "keep Australians safe, deter any adversary, and defend Australia's national interests in the missile age", he said.
