Australia:

https://www.afr.com/politics/federal...0240526-p5jgom

Questions surface over fast-tracked $10b warships

Answer given and clickbait continues.

Asked what changes would be allowed, a Defence Department spokesman said: “The General Purpose Frigate program is now in an evaluation process and Defence will not comment while the process is being conducted to protect commercial, procurement and probity processes.”

so much whinning about how fast they are doing, so much whinning about how slow hunter and most other procurements are

The TLDR what the govt wants in order of importanceThey announced that its got to be in build by 2026 for 2029 delivery

transfer of design for onshore build

effective sustainment and maintainence systems in AUS

compliance with regulatory,legislative and class regulation

interoperabolity with AUS and allied systems

So AUS wants a complete or nearly complete design that the builder can start building next year with a delivery no later than 2029, Meko A210 is a design they have been working on for 18+ months so should be completed, Mogami is complete, **** but complete, Daegu (know nothing about the design) is, tasman / alpha 3000 is concept as is the baby constellation

The odd thing is they are not including Arrow 140, which would seem an excellent option. Possibly they don't think it can be built in timeframe.
However RAN procurement has a checkered history, to say the least. That combined with Marles means probably end up a shambles.
Little or no prospect of the 7 - 11 hulls eventuating on past performance.

Allegedly 5 companies, considering Gibbs and Cox with the baby constellation are only design / engineering and zero ship building maybe BAE with arrowhead was the 5th and not gibbs and cox

Cant be worse than pretty much every LNP defense minister. Every defence minister since nelson and fitzgibbon has sucked at their job, Dutton, Payne and reynolds being the stand out worst

I understand that the A140/Type 31 is a Babcock design, not a BAE product.

“Stand alone contract for 12 main shaft seals for VIRGINIA class SSNs to be 100% manufactured by Wartsila in Havant, Hampshire, UK, with procurement via Defense Maritime Solutions, Inc. Genuine question: have these always come from the UK plant, or is it the first time?”

Australian government just axed substantial parts of the LOTE (life extension) efforts for Collins submarines, while going ahead with the overall program. A few thoughts on the matter. Official statement here. 1/9

https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/...type-extension

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1...161918973.html
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Adding Tomahawk capability to the Collins class was only going to be viable if you managed to persuade Raytheon to reopen the TTL Tomahawk production line and they’ve clearly failed to do that.

In the Starship #4 test flight ( ) they had live video feed from liftoff through to both splashdowns. All the way through the plasma of very lengthy 'deorbiting'. That says a lot about the ability to communicate with hypersonic vehicles provided one owns a sufficient fleet of suitable comms satellites in orbit. For sure Starship has sufficient scale to provide lots of power, and some relatively benign locations on the unheated side. But as a very obvious demonstrator it is a sign of things to come. All the nations who either ar ealready, or may in due course become, part of AUKUS have an interest in hypersonics. Even if they have come to the conclusion they'd rather do it as a consortium than on their own.

I Don't know, but under AUKUS. Both the UK and AU will enter the supply chain
South Australia makes play to enter US nuclear submarine supply chain ahead of AUKUS build - ABC News
The SA government has struck a deal with shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries to allow SA companies to enter supply chains for US nuclear-powered naval submarines.

@BAES_Maritime has submitted a planning application for the future development of Barrow site to support increasing submarine production.

Potentially a very large building at site of former gas and fuel storage facility on Barrow Island (centre of image).

https://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/24383...t-barrow-site/

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....51a87af99.jpeg
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I share your disappointment. If we get into a shooting war again, running out of Tomahawks is bound to happen early in the campaign... :mad:

This old lag is astonished re security clearance these days. Good to see but (my USN training story 1972-73 is too long for here).
First Royal Australian Navy Enlisted Sailors Begin Training at U.S. Submarine School 14 Jun 2024 Seapower Staff
https://seapowermagazine.org/first-r...marine-school/
"GROTON, Conn.–The U.S. Naval Submarine School in Groton welcomed its first cadre of nine enlisted sailors and the second cadre of three officers from the Royal Australian Navy on June 3rd and 10th respectively. These 12 Australians will train alongside their American counterparts to operate conventionally armed, nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs). The enrollment of Royal Australian Navy sailors at the Submarine School marks a significant step in the AUKUS (Australia, United Kingdom, United States) Pillar 1 Optimal Pathway, aimed at helping Australia acquire a conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine fleet. “We’re excited to welcome these sailors and officers to Groton and build on the momentum of the first cohort of Australian officers to graduate from Submarine Officer Basic Course (SOBC) in April,” said Capt. Matthew Fanning, commanding officer, Naval Submarine School.... Upon graduation from pipeline schools, the Royal Australian Navy officers and sailors will be assigned to U.S. SSNs for their first sea tour to further their knowledge and training....

... Chief of the Royal Australian Navy, Vice Adm. Mark Hammond [said]. “Three Australian officers have already completed 14 months of intensive shore-based training, including Nuclear-Power School, nuclear propulsion training, and the Submarine Officer Basic Course before being assigned to U.S. Virginia class submarines.... The number of Royal Australian Navy personnel training across the U.S. will increase to over 100 people in the next 12 months...."

I see that Chinese premier Li Qiang is paying a visit to Australia. First port of call, Adelaide. Hopefully this will be completely unrelated to AUKUS, or am I being unduly suspicious?

:}PANDA ing to DIP lomacy :}
New pair of giant pandas for Adelaide Zoo, Wang Wang and Fu Ni to return to China by end of year 16 Jun 2024
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-...ment/103984176
I"n short: Adelaide Zoo is set to receive a new pair of giant pandas.
The zoo's current duo, Wang Wang & Fu Ni, will return to China after spending 15 years at Adelaide Zoo.
The announcement was made by Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the zoo this morning."

The intricacies of moving Pandas between zoos must be the reason behind the massive increase in staff at the Chinese consulate in Adelaide over the last few years.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...aval-base.html

he's probably a Crows supporter......................

Nah it is so they are able to supply support and directions to the "Australian" Foreign Minister Penny Wong.