Some interesting stuff going on here with RAN trials of Scan Eagle and ViDAR: http://www.australiandefence.com.au/news/vidar-impresses-as-scaneagle-tests-continue/utm_medium/twitter?utm_source=dlvr%2Eit The US Coast Guard demonstration of ViDAR involved an exhaustive series of search flights designe...

No one knows whether the existing AWD is terribly noisy or not. Perhaps the Spanish vessels give some clue, but this is largely an unknown. Within a year, though, the RAN will have some idea. If it is fine, then straight away you have a common hull that will be hard to beat on any other metric. Sure...

I think it's the best chance in 50 years since we bought UK designed shipping Only if the Spanish design fails somehow. With the synergies in production, spares and training that go with a largely common hull to the AWD, it would be extraordinary if the Spanish design did not come in with significa...

Land 400 update, ICYMI

Perhaps I can help with the P-3 noise issue. I am an ex-P3 Nav/Tacco, and yes, aircraft self-noise was/is noticeable on sonobuoys. And mostly beside the point. If you are chasing diesels, you are almost certainly relatively low level and blasting out your radar in hopes to detect a snort, or failing...

Ron5 wrote:It will be built in Scotland or nowhere.

Well, maybe Australia.

Brexit: Australia to team with NZ to negotiate new trade, immigration deals, Malcolm Turnbull says
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-27/t ... sn/7546890

R686 wrote:Would really like a shot of the light vehicle/hanger deck when in use, see how much space they would really lose if F35B was parked as well.

Not in use, but... best I can do for the moment.
http://images.defence.gov.au/20141103ran8100087_039.jpg
http://images.defence.gov.au/S20143517

Just to round out the perspective on the Canberra class from the other day, here's a good shot of the tank/well deck: http://images.defence.gov.au/fotoweb/cache/5003/DefenceImagery/2016/S20161398/20160528adf8517500_055.t57589934.m800.xb5c3f742.jpg http://images.defence.gov.au/S20161398 hope that's i...

A peek inside HMAS Adelaide (Canberra class) that you don't normally see:



http://images.defence.gov.au/S20161344

... There are a couple of considerations with the LRASM for the UK though; Too big for internal carriage on the F35 No deck launch options, which is needed to support legacy platforms It is in a very different class to harpoon Probably the most costly option ... LRASM has been surface-launched via ...

What was interesting about the Gillard term though was that they *delayed* projects rather than cancel anything (anything major, at least). They were aware that there was a political price to pay. Broadly speaking, there is robust support for the status quo in defence spending. (Remembering that it ...

The downselect for the Australian OPV and Future Frigate programs has been announced:



[I don't have a link to an official release yet. This news tweet is the best I've seen so far.]

Australia budgeted 3.59 billion USD a few years ago for 8, so it is not that bad nor can it be classed as a surprise. Exactly what is included beyond support, spares and simulators is hard to say. Yes, quite a bit of the Aust budget was for facilities -- some runway extensions and the establishment...

So, did the ADWP mention the UK or the Commonwealth at all? Or the FPDA? Here you go: FPDA 5.48 The Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) with Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand and the United Kingdom is the longest standing regional security mechanism for Australia. The FPDA is the only multilatera...

here's a working link to xav's post:

http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.ph ... ew&id=3620

No, it's15.

http://www.aspistrategist.org.au/dwp-20 ... ture-raaf/

R686 wrote:9 new ASW frigates, from late 2020s

actually it's 9 new ASW frigates, from 2020 (planned steel cut), so 2022-ish.

Australia, France eye collaboration on special forces NH90 helicopters https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/australia-france-eye-collaboration-on-special-force-421028/ “It is very early in the process,” says the source. “Our special forces would like the NH90, but want them to a certain specif...

Antarctica bound maybe? RAAF C-17 flights to there go from Hobart. Quite a few over the last month.

There have been build problems on the AWD that BAE copped the blame for, and subsequently required Navantia to have a little visit and pick up some of the modules for themselves. BAE tells a different story, of course, but the government here was pretty scathing of them at the time (possibly to cove...

I don’t know that there has been a serious “paralysis of decision-making”. The end of life of type for the Anzac class is the mid-2020s (most are just coming out of a serious midlife upgrade), and the submarines have a similar life of type (starts closer to 2030). It is the limited size of the Austr...

Some of that may be due to BAE having second thoughts about retaining its current primary shipyard, Williamstown. There's long been rumours about that. Its prime real estate and this current gap in shipbuilding might be a natural termination point. http://www.travelvictoria.com.au/williamstown/ Fran...

@Gab Australia went with the mk54 as well. And passed on integrating the MU-90 onto the P3s a few years ago because it was going to cost around A$200M. Consider what a high-alt stingray program would cost. It won't be cheap going it alone. And what's the sense in going it alone with MPA anyway? It's...

Kiwi's put a black (or dark grey) kiwi on their funnels too.

http://media.defenceindustrydaily.com/i ... F77_lg.jpg