AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT APRIL 2020 VOL.46 NO.3 SEA 5000 FUTURE FRIGATE PROGRESS REPORT ARAFURA CLASS RAAF RAN OPV WEAPONS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT SURFACE FLEET & SENSORS TRITON PURCHASE COMMUNICATIONS HIGHER LONGER AMRAAM Extended Range (AMRAAM ER) – a low risk and affordable addition to the proven NASAMS system. AMRAAM ER expands current NASAMS System capabilities and intercepts targets at significantly higher altitudes and longer ranges A powerful missile mix with current AMRAAM – one system – one launcher – same logistics kongsberg.com CONTENTS Print Post Approved PP349181/00104 Managing Director/Publisher Marilyn Tangye Butler Phone: +61 (0) 410 529 324 Email: [email protected] AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT APRIL 2020 VOL.46 NO.3 FEATURES Editor Kym Bergmann 12 FUTURE FRIGATE PROGRESS REPORT Phone: +61(0)412 539 106 SEA 5000 Hunter class to be part of an ASW network Email: [email protected] FUTURE FRIGATE PROGRESS REPORT Contributors Vladimir Karnozov 16 RAN INVESTING IN WORLD CLASS Arie Egozi MISSILE DEFENCE Mark Farrer Mike Yeo Few nations have a similar level of capability Geoff Slocombe George Galdorisi 20 ARAFURA CLASS WEAPONS AND SENSORS Australia A modest solution with growth potential Ventura Media Asia-Pacific Pty Ltd PO Box 88, Miranda NSW 1490 Australia ABN 76 095 476 065 ARAFURA CLASS RAAF RAN OPV WEAPONS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT SURFACE FLEET 24 SEA 1654 - AUXILIARY OILER & SENSORS TRITON PURCHASE COMMUNICATIONS REPLENISHMENT SHIPS Singapore Extending the range of the RAN Raymond Boey HMAS Stuart sails through rough seas in the Bass Strait during Regional Manager Fleet Certification Period 2020. Fleet Certification Period 2020 Block 729 #04-4280 Ang Mo Kio (FCP20) is a major fleet training activity hosted by the Royal Avenue 6, Singapore 560729 Australian Navy (RAN) and supported by the Royal Australian Air 25 AUSTRALIA STILL COMMITTED TO MQ-4C Phone: +65 6457 2340 Fax: +65 6456 2700 Force (RAAF). It is the RAN’s first major training exercise for the year Despite the threat of a 2-year funding freeze Email: [email protected] and focuses on mid-intensity high-end warfighting. Credit: CoA / Jarrod Mulvihill KONSBERG Subscriptions 26 1ST PERSON INTERVIEW Rose Jeffree Graeme Nayler, MD Land, Babcock Australia Phone: + 61 (0)2 9526 7188 Fax: + 61 (0)2 9526 1779 REGULARS Email: [email protected] 04 EDITOR'S LETTER 30 MINE COUNTER MEASURES – A GIANT LEAP ADVERTISING OFFICES: COVID-19 and potentially catastrophic OF FAITH regional consequences Has the RAN botched the strategy? 2 Australia, NZ & Asia Pacific Graham Joss Sales Director Phone +61 2 9526 7188 NEWS 34 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST RAAF Fax +61 2 9526 1779 SUPER HORNETS Mobile +61 (0) 419 492 836 06 First production-representative MQ-9B flight Email: [email protected] And they might be around for a lot longer 08 Boeing’s Loyal Wingman program achieves than planned USA, Canada & South America Susan Spilman-Gardner major milestone Phone: +1 817-751-5888 Email: [email protected] HMS Audacious sets sail for home base 36 RAN SURFACE SHIP COMMUNICATIONS A vital and increasing capability Europe 09 CAE mission simulator for Predator now Diana Scogna Mobile: +33 6 6252 2547 in service Fax: +33 1 7079 0534 40 RUSSIA’S HYPERSONIC ZIRCON MISSILE Email: [email protected] 10 Naval shipbuilding industry to tap workers Soon to be deployed to the Asia Pacific displaced by COVID-19 Israel Asa Talbar Raytheon and United Technologies 46 NEWS FROM ACROSS THE TASMAN Talbar Media Phone: +972-77-562-1900 complete merger Our regular update Fax: +972-77-562-1903 Email: [email protected] Printer Times Printers READ APDR: ANYTIME, ANYWHERE. 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The publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to uncommissioned photographs, manuscripts or other media. © Ventura Media Asia Pacific Pty Ltd 2019 Asia Pacific Defence Reporter APR 2020 3 EDITOR'S LETTER COVID-19 AND POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC REGIONAL CONSEQUENCES to cooperate with the outside world in providing health care. The further you go from Java, the less details about the unfolding pandemic, guaranteeing are the chances of finding adequately staffed and that international responses started weeks later equipped hospitals. than should have been the case. China covered up The long-term consequences for Indonesia if because of fears of international embarrassment COVID-19 gets out of hand will be disruptive and and an instinct to suppress negative information; the serious. There will be large numbers of deaths and the Trump administration engaged in something similar – economic disruption could be huge, with a massive KYM BERGMANN // CANBERRA and the effort seems ongoing – in an attempt to boost downturn in global trade expected – as well as big hits the value of the stock market. in areas that particularly effect the country: tourism aking predictions about the long-term Countries that moved quickly and decisively are and the low price of oil. With this sort of dislocation consequences of the pandemic are difficult the ones that seem to be doing the best: Singapore; – combined with Jakarta’s lacklustre performance M because we are still in the midst of an Taiwan and South Korea topped that list – though to date – comes the possibility of severe social unfolding disaster – the end date of which is almost none of them are completely out of the woods yet. and political unrest in all parts of the country. The impossible to predict. The consequences for Australia Japan had a similarly firm response, but with a far reverberations could be felt for years. have already been considerable, but with a good health larger population and huge, packed urban areas the Ironically – given that China is responsible for the care system, relatively rapid bi-partisan response and task is more difficult. scale of the problem – it is Beijing that could be RAFAEL a generally educated, dispersed population, we are in In Australia’s immediate region, the picture is Indonesia’s saviour with the transfer of equipment and good shape to slow down the spread of the virus to complex and disturbing. New Zealand has done an know how. No less a figure than President Xi himself a manageable level. Things could still go wrong – for excellent job to date. The big worry is Indonesia, with during an April 5 phone call with Jokowi said that example if people in cities start to disregard social Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Island nations not China regarded helping Indonesia as a priority. Large distancing requirements in large numbers. far behind. While enormously different in population quantities of medical supplies have already started to 5 However, even though Australia is an island we are sizes, all share the problems of starting late and having flow by military transport, including disposable masks, still connected to the rest of the world, particularly inadequate healthcare facilities. N-95 masks, protective clothing, goggles, gloves, by trade, business, tourism and education. These Unfortunately for Indonesia’s 270 million people, the shoe covers, infrared thermometers and surgical caps. connections cannot be terminated without having country’s leadership – up to and including President In essence, China has declared partial victory over the the most profound effect on our quality of living – Jokowi Widodo – appeared to be in a state of pandemic and says it is now ready to come to the help meaning that what happens beyond our shores has collective denial, refusing improbably for many weeks of others. It will be a long time before the U.S. is able to consequences for us. If Australia controls COVID-19 to concede that the country had even a single case. return to a similar supportive role in the region. but is running out of control elsewhere, we are all still Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto continued to While for the moment Australian politicians appear in trouble. insist until early March that everyone was safe because to be entirely focussed on local events – which is to The U.S. is currently the largest concern, with of the power of prayer. With hindsight it is clear that a be expected – hopefully they will not lose sight of the the virus continuing to spread in the absence of major problem existed even back then – and trying to bigger picture. The entire basis of the so-called Pacific a coordinated national response from the Trump quantify what is happening now is difficult because of step-up is in response to growing Chinese influence administration - which has said that all of the States poor communication and an absence of testing. and a recognition that we needed to do much more. are on their own. The previous epicentre of China Despite Indonesia’s 20 years of uninterrupted History might be about to repeat itself, this time on the looks to be bringing things slowly back to normal, economic growth after the Asian financial crisis most back of a pandemic. Australia’s aid budget remains with the city of Wuhan – where it all started and of the country is still desperately poor, apart from low – but hopefully the Government will find the was outrageously covered up by the Government – some pockets of prosperity in places like Jakarta means to increase assistance to our much poorer ending the lockdown and restarting domestic and and Bali.