Australia's Most Powerful $2.1 Billion Amphibious Assault Ship 

a shallow draught. So use in littorals only. No open high seas navigation?

Only 80% Spanish

@Ran Dom The Engine is Spanish too

@Andrew Wiggins I reckon The RAN should get a Angel Deck Carrier

They can get manpower 26.5 million people in Australia. Getting personal isn't a problem for a 3rd carrier. The issue was the F35B has limited range and payload compared to the F35A varent. RAAF aposed against the idea. Australia RAAF 2016 review that carrier have become more vulnerable due to hypersonic long range missile and the jump jet varent would not work for Australia. The F35B has limited range and payload. And it would do little for Australia security in our strategic surroundings in defence and wasn't worth it for the cost it would need to run it. When the ADF can put it to better things that is needed for the ADF. Australia was supposed to replace the old Melbourne carrier. But something happened in the UK parliament back in the 80s that stopped something that I can't remember what it was. You would have to look it up. What it was about. But it stopped Australia from getting another carrier replacement at the time. Australia still may get 1 aircraft carrier in the future but it won't be a jump jet varent. But at the moment ADF is focused on getting AUKUS subs going that will cost $$$. And fix other desperately needed eqwipment replacements gaps fixed and producing our own defence system and missiles for self reliance. Adding an aircraft carrier right now would cause stress on the defence budget. I can see Australia government fixing the top deck heat resistance on the current two LHD and maybe adding just a few F35B on each carrier to assist amphibious assault depending on the threat level. But to make a 3rd LHD just for F35B I can't see that ever happening now or in the future based on RAAF 2016 review

​​​​​@Andrew Wiggins To have a better formation amphibious assault ship that has best of both worlds hospital 4000 troops assault vehicles helicopters and jump jets and drones. Maybe in the future Australia could build a larger ship to support all in one. Something similar to what south Korea is about to build such as the CVX carrier. Jump jets only handy for amphibious assault. Not as the role of American carriers that has the fixed wing Super hornets and F35C that has a much larger payload and range. F35B jump jet only has 1200km range. Where is Australia going to use them other than during an amphibious assault ? You can't send them into the south China Sea to dog fight with China aircraft the LHD would be taken out before it could bring the jump jets in range. They only got roughly 450km radius each way to spare some fuel. They have small payload. Other than in beast mode that would be okay during an amphibious assault. But Apache attack helicopters could deliver similar results. 2016 defence review ruled out F35B as a fit for Australia security needs. It would be too expensive to run for a capability that can't deliver. Submarines is Australia's front line defence. Submarines are the first in action against enamy ships. And the first in action to attack land target's. AWD is second in line of defence. And ASW are 3rd in line but are the backbone of the RAN. RAAF is used where it can as 4th line of defence. Then theirs amphibious assault from army for boots on the ground. That's why LHD was purchased to give Australia army an offshore offensive capability. Jump jets can provide air cover for troops but attack helicopters can do the same. You think Australia going to dog fight out at sea with F35B? 😆 🤣. Sure..enlighten me how? They may do OK in the air. But only to return with a missing carrier to land on

@@Nathan-ry3yu To get manpower the government would need to introduce conscription and No Government is going to do that

@@Nathan-ry3yuQuote " F35B jump jet only has 1200km range. Where is Australia going to use them other than during an amphibious assault ? " aerial support for troops on the ground Jump Jets, They can be based at Butterworth Malaysia. We need as many submarines as we can get, both nuke and conventional. We don't need expensive easy targets like A/C carriers

They can serve as light carriers for the harrier currently and Spain uses a similar ship in this manner. There is talk of a 3rd Canberra Class outfitted specifically to accommodate a wing of 8+ F-35b's but this would be a late 2028> project due to the ongoing issues with supply and the current focus on achieving capacity for F35a craft at all bases where relevant.

​​@@bartandaelus359 F35B has poor range and smaller payload compared to F35A varent. A 3rd carrier just with F35B would be useless. You couldn't send them into the south China Sea. It will bring the carrier too close to combat zone. It will be a waist of money for a carrier based on just jump jets that couldn't do shit in the region. F35B would work best for air asult just before LHD land troops and asult vehicles on a beach on islands or anywhere they get deployed. Maybe given the current two LHD a heat resistance top deck and maybe 3 F35B aircraft on each LHD would give the LHD extra protection for when its out at sea and during an amphibious assault. Any more than 3 F35B would take up too much room for other eqwipment. They would only need a couple on each ship anyway

The amphibious vessel only cost $1.55b each with the hunter class budget we could of had 22 of them,only 15 needed with the capability to have a clue a port the entire time without breaking the chain at sea

Hard to imagine any scenario in which these vessels won't be operating as part or a large task naval task force alongside US Navy Arleigh Burke/Ticonderoga-class vessels and or Hobart class Air Warfare destroyers & Anzac class frigates thus will sail with protection from air threats by at minimum; mk41 vertical missile launchers containing RIM-162 Standard 2 Missiles, quad packed RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles, 54 calibre Mark 45 dual purpose guns , Phalanx CIWS mounted M61 Vulcan 20mm Gatling guns, Typhoon mounted M242 Bushmaster 25mm chain guns, Mini-Typhoon mounted M2HB .50 calibre machine guns + Nulka & Mark 36 SRBOC countermeasures.

They covered by submarines and destroyers when they get deployed and it's amphibious assault ship they don't stay out at sea the entire purpose of LHD was to be able to send 4000 troops and vehicles backed up with attack helicopters and provide a hospital to do an amphibious assault anywhere in the pacific and our region for Australia army Aircraft carrier are becoming vulnerable due to long range hypersonic anti ship missiles and submarines to even bring fixed wing aircraft close enough to be in range. F35B jump jet has half the range and payload of F35A varent. So what will you use the F35B for? Maybe 2 might be handy during an amphibious assault on each LHD but that will be about it. The poor range of F35B jump jet is basically useless. Maximum range is 1200km so they can only be deployed in a 450km radius each way. If you need to attack land bases and ships just use nuclear powerd submarines. Why waist money on jump jets that has no range. Why you think China is pissed off that Australia getting nuclear powerd submarines. Because they have limited range and they can stay down in the sea the entire time of any mission China can't spot them on satellites. Try sending jump jets into the south China Sea.Australia will lose the carrier before the aircraft could even get in strike range.

@@Nathan-ry3yu Australia needs to get some drones that can takeoff from these halo harriers