Royal Australian Navy's Collins subs performing better than ever

ONCE derided as "dud subs", the navy's six Collins submarines are now performing better than ever following a concerted effort to get more to sea rather than ashore undergoing maintenance.
Where once only one of the six submarines was available for operations, the submarine force can now deploy two and often three at a time.

In a progress review of efforts to improve the Collins fleet, UK submarine expert John Coles said this turnaround was remarkable.
The Collins boats were delivering a level of performance which would not have been viewed as possible two years ago, he said.
"It has been an enormous pleasure to observe the astonishing turnaround of a seriously failing project to one that should, within just two years, achieve or better International Benchmark performance," he said in the report.

The Australian-built Collins submarines have been controversial throughout their service. A succession of technical problems attracted scathing headlines, branding them "Dud subs".


http://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/govt-backs-away-from-12-subs-plan/story-e6frfku9-1226877693875

Lockheed Martin delivers MH-60R electronic warfare support system (EWSS) to Royal Australian Navy

Lockheed Martin Australia has confirmed delivery of its MH-60R electronic warfare support system (EWSS) to the Royal Australian Navy.

Built in its Adelaide facility, the EWSS will provide the Navy with the ability to generate and test unique Australian mission data loads for the 24 aircraft MH-60R Romeo naval combat helicopter fleet. Lockheed Martin Australia has worked with in-country companies to procure the component parts, fabricate cabling and assemble the EWSS.

Australian suppliers were issued subcontracts for a portion of the metal fabrication. Work on the project began in 2012 and has now ended in April 2014, with system demonstration and training at the Joint Electronic Warfare Operational Support Unit in Adelaide, South Australia.


http://australiandefence.com.au/news/lockheed-martin-delivers-mh-60r-ewss-to-ran

HMAS Canberra LHD To Be Handed Over Q3 2014

DigitalGlobe imagery from 15JAN14 of HMAS Canberra at Williamstown

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HMAS Canberra LHD To Be Handed Over Q3 2014

The Canberra class amphibious assault ships are the largest vessels ever constructed for Australia, and it appears the Royal Australian Navy will be receiving one later this year. Measuring 230 meters and weighing over 27,000 tons, the Canberra class can carry 16 helicopters, among which include the UH-60 Blackhawk, CH-47F Chinook and the EC665 Tiger ARH.

According to multiple reports in the Australian press, the ship has been undergoing a series of sea trials since March, which will eventually culminate in a voyage around Victoria and Gippsland to test the vessel’s performance. Those watching satellite imagery of the vessel at BAE’s Williamstown shipyard from 2013-2014, have long awaited the trials. Imagery has shown less and less clutter on the deck suggesting the vessel was readying to sail, further substantiating progress reports. After the trials are complete, the ship will be handed over to the Navy in Q3 2014. And if all goes according to plan, it will be commissioned in 2015.

The Canberra is the first of two LHDs being built for the navy at a cost of about $3 billion. It will carry up to 1600 soldiers to support disaster relief and peacekeeping operations, or so the narrative goes. The lower decks will be capable of holding more than 100 trucks as well as other vehicles including up to a dozen Abrams battle tanks. Four mechanized landing craft will also be on board ready to ferry the troops and their equipment to shore

Royal Australian Navy’s biggest warship enters Sydney Harbour

THE Royal Australian Navy’s biggest ever warship - 27,000-tonne, 230-metre-long - the Helicopter Landing Dock (amphibious assault ships) known as ‘Nuship Canberra’,  has arrived in Sydney.

The ship, built by Spanish yard Navantia and BAE Systems in Melbourne, and her 360-strong crew will provide the Australian Government with previously unimaginable power projection capability when matched with three new state-of-the-art Air Warfare Destroyers being built in Adelaide.

The amphibious assault ship, and her sister vessel Adelaide, is bigger than the navy’s last aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne and she will carry up to 1600 fully-equipped combat troops (1000 comfortably), 110 trucks and vehicles, and up to a dozen Abrams main battle tanks, as well as 16 helicopters including Chinook heavy lift machines and Tiger attack helicopters and thousands of tonnes of humanitarian aid.