Armchair_Politician wrote on Apr 25
th, 2025 at 3:31pm:
We used to have a defence force that was quite potent, with the air force being the fourth largest and the navy being the fifth largest during WWII. These days, we'd be lucky to defend ourselves from Indonesia. It is time to upgrade, enhance and grow our defence force.
One of the biggest mistakes was the Canberra Class LHD ships, which are essentially defenceless ships. The two ships should've been scrapped in favour of the US America class LHD ships to include the capability to embark the F-35B fighter jets and project force while also being able to provide humanitarian support. The America Class LHD ships also have a potent ability to defend themselves. It's time also to upgrade from the ANZAC Class frigates, which really lack much potency.
We should also have gone with the US Arleigh Burke destroyers over the Italian AWD ships we currently have, as the three AWD ships we have are not as heavily armed by comparison, especially when compared to Chinese destroyers. The Hobart Class have only 48 vertical launch cells as opposed to the 96 cells on the Arleigh Burke Flight III currently in service with the USN.
We also need to develop a missile defence system like the Patriot anti-missile system, as our country is essentially defenceless in this regard. Australia should also lobby the US to purchase at least one squadron of the B-21 Raider stealth bombers, as we have had no dedicated bomber capability since the retirement of the F-111.
American ships tend to be too large for the RAN to man. In the case of the Adelaide Class LHD, we opted for the Navanta Class from Spain. Shipbuilders from the United States were not included, as American amphibious warfare ships were too large for Australian requirements, and were either too personnel-intensive or could not operate the number of helicopters required. Unless we opt to increase the size of the RAN - always a difficult proposition - or we opt for a smaller ship. The Navanta Class ships can operate more helicopters simultaneously than the American class and it is not defenceless, it mounts six 30mm cannon and is meant to be part of a task force, rather than operate alone.
The same problem goes for the Arleigh Burke destroyers. We simply need a bigger RAN it we are going to have bigger ships. A difficult proposition when wives are unwilling to allow their men to be sailors and prefer them to work shorter hours at a mining site. The Arleigh Burke was looked at the time of the adoption of the Italian ships and Arleigh Burkes were found to be too small for Australian purposes. Even the US Navy found the first versions to be too small and the Flight III versions are larger than their predecessors.
We presently operate two squadrons of F/A-18F or G models. They are more capable than the F-111 ever was. It is designed to operate from medium altitude, rather than low-level. The F-111 was of it's period, just as the F/A-18 is. Indonesia is our ally, not our enemy, so why do we need to attack it or defend against it?
Patriot SAMs would be hideously expensive to operate. We have a superior system in NASAM, which has replaced the Rapier system, it is designed for medium range defence, rather than long range defence.
All this really belongs in in the Defence Forum rather than here. Why are you afraid to post there? Tsk, tsk, tsk...
Perhaps because that is the topic of this conversation and because it related to Federal politics in the upcoming election?
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