Forget the Hunters. Build 9 Hobart Flight 3 from Navantia as your core destroyer force or if you want to save time and money 9 KDXlll Batch ll from HHI. Australia will obviously prefer to pay more and wait longer so would go with Navantia option. In time needed to develop the Navantia Hobart Flight 3 design, bang out another 3 of the existing Hobart design (preferably 1-2 of them in Spain to save time and money but you know, if that not a concern…), then designate them as what they really are, frigates. In parallel build 5 of the Navantia corvettes domestically. There is the 20 surface combatants required to plug the northern approaches.
I like your thinking. Yes the Hunter class should be dropped cold regardless of cost penalties. They are already vastly overpriced and have long construction delays. Waiting for 2031 for the first Type 26 is not an option. Navantia has already proposed building 3 more Hobart class destroyers in Spain and have them delivered by 2030. Personally, I like the Mogami batch II frigates (64-96 VLS cells) and only a crew size 90. These would give the RAN its desired 12 Tier 1 (heavy) combatants. Similarly, engaging HHI to build 9 KDXIII ships at the same time would double the number of ships for the RAN before the first Type 26 even reaches Australia. Strengthening ties with South Korea and/or Japan would only help to deepen defense ties especially given Australia is already part of the "5 Eyes" monitoring alliance. I am not so sure about the current design of the Taman class Navantia corvettes. I think the MEKO A210 is a better fit and has more offensive and defensive capabilities for a ship of the same displacement. The Israeli SAÁR 6 light corvette is also a much better alternative. At 1,900 tonnes it has greater offensive and defensive capabilities than the proposed Tasman class corvette.
I'd like to see at least 6 flights III destroyer 16 alpha 5000 frigate. 6 Alpha 3000 corvettes. That be my pick anyway. They should have picked at least 8 of the French design Barracuda nuclear powerd subs not conventional rather than waited for AUKUS subs that will cost more and cause delays and gaps. It was an Australian government choice not to choose the French nuclear varent subs because they didn't want to build a reactor for it here to support it
I'd would had liked to see at least 6 flights III destroyer 16 Alpha 5000 frigate. 6 alpha 3000 corvettes. That be my pick anyway. They should have picked at least 8 of the French design Barracuda nuclear powerd subs not conventional rather than waited for AUKUS subs that will cost more and cause delays and gaps. It was an Australian government choice not to choose the French nuclear varent subs because they didn't want to build a reactor for it here to support it.. foolish mistake if you ask me
Tasmon class brilliant masters in engineering brilliant in ship building Australia must have protection against terrisom twenty ship's for protection in Australia very strong defence 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊
Oh dear... a video about Navantia's proposals to the RAN using live video of the El Fateh, a (French...) Naval Group Gowind Corvete... Are you sure that the video comes from Navantia? By the way, the bit of the video describing the Tasman class? The images on that are of a (vastly different) F110 frigate...
The question of survivability against Ballistic and hypersonic missiles with a limited 16 cell VLS in a region where possible enemy combatants are armed to the hilt would suggest that a vessel with sufficient VLS is necessary. A small vessel with a minimum of 32 VLS is both economical and survivable in an intensive wartime environment. It’s time Australia upgunned its navy properly. My suggestion would be the MECO A300 small frigate.
The ADF don't seem to get it, survivability is No1. Our ships must be able to defend themselves. They should ALL be fitted with 360deg CIWS and air-defence VLS and operate a sub hunting helicopter. The standard loadout of 2 x quad canister harpoon launchers is sufficient strike capacity. The Tasman Corvettes seem well armed assuming the 57mm main gun is a Bofors or similar that has real air defence capacity.
ABC Australia should Work together with Britain and Canada. Standard proven designs, more units will mean enhanced interoperability, shared spares availability and a much lower cost per unit , and cross training for the crews. Build 12 Type 26 Hunters Build 12 Type 83 AAW Destroyers ( 48 MK41 VLS x 2) Build 12 Astutes Buy the first 3 Astutes directly from Britain. Canada does the same. Build the balance 18 units in Australia. Buy the new Japanese Navy OPV. $50 million per unit and they all get delivered in 36 months
all three proposals do not fit the RAN. The Tasman class is poorly armed for a ship of this displacement. The retiring Anzac class has more firepower for the same displacement. Basically, this proposed ship represents a net loss. Again the Alpha 5000 is a paper tiger, lightly armed for a ship of this displacement - another net loss. The Flight III version of the Hobart class has impressive missile count and a good main gun, but is more of an arsenal ship rather than fitting in with RAN direction towards smaller ships in greater quantity. 3 more Hobart class destroyers and 6 of the proposed Batch II Mogami class frigates would have comparable fire power. Together, these 9 ships would be a far cheaper option than the 45-65 billion AUD cost for 6 Type 26 frigate
My choice would be for six ALPHA 5000 and three flight 111 Hobart destroyers but realistically that would mean a serious reduction in the order of Hunter Class which would entail a heavy penalty in compensation. That being the case, the upgunned Hunter class may be the smarter choice for the tier one vessels and the ALPHA 5000 or the type 31 the British are building. Smaller Corvettes have limited utility and range in the vast waters of the Pacific.
better off going with BAE systems on the up armed type26 as the commonality with the ASW type 26 we are still buying will speed up production and make them cheaper to build and sustain if we go with a 2nd tier vessel than refit our existing Anzacs once the type 26's come into service they can take another 8 vls and would be cheaper and faster than any new purchase