AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT APR-MAY 2021 VOL.47 NO.3 REPLACING THE COLLINS CLASS AUSTRALIAN ARAFURA CLASS SEA 5000 SOVEREIGN GUIDED OFFSHORE PATROL VESSELS AND AUSTRALIAN WEAPONS CAPABILITY PROGRESS REPORT SPECIFIC CHANGES Overmatch Assured Powered by RAFAEL, Delivered by VRA TROPHY™ IRON DOME™ SPIKE LR2™ TYPHOON™ Powered by RAFAEL. Delivered by VRA www.rafael.co.il | www.vrasystems.com.au CONTENTS Print Post Approved PP349181/00104 Managing Director/Publisher FEATURES Overmatch Assured Marilyn Tangye Butler Phone: +61 (0) 410 529 324 AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT 12 RAYTHEON AUSTRALIA OPENS CENTRE FOR Email: [email protected] APR-MAY 2021 VOL.47 NO.3 JOINT INTEGRATION A major boost to sovereign capability Editor Kym Bergmann Phone: +61(0)412 539 106 Powered by RAFAEL, Delivered by VRA Email: [email protected] 16 AUSTRALIAN CONTENT ON ATTACK CLASS Contributors TO REACH 60% - EVENTUALLY Vladimir Karnozov By then will anyone care? Arie Egozi Mark Farrer Mike Yeo Geoff Slocombe 18 AUTONOMOUS UNDERWATER VEHICLES George Galdorisi – THE FUTURE OF WARFARE? Australia REPLACING THE COLLINS CLASS Will crewed submarines become obsolete? Ventura Media Asia-Pacific Pty Ltd PO Box 88, Miranda AUSTRALIAN ARAFURA CLASS SEA 5000 SOVEREIGN GUIDED OFFSHORE PATROL VESSELS AND AUSTRALIAN NSW 1490 Australia WEAPONS CAPABILITY PROGRESS REPORT SPECIFIC CHANGES ABN 76 095 476 065 20 FUTURE FRIGATE DESIGN REMAINS WITHIN HMAS Rankin and her crew conducted workups and training AGREED GUIDELINES Subscriptions assessments in the Western Australian Exercise Area to ensure Growth within the safety margins Rose Jeffree the Collins Class Submarine is ready to safely deploy later in the Phone: + 61 (0)2 9526 7188 year. Part of her assessment is helicopter transfers which ensures IRON DOME™ Fax: + 61 (0)2 9526 1779 the crew are able to winch personnel on or off in the case of an TROPHY™ Email: [email protected] emergency. Credit: CoA / Richard Cordell 24 ARAFURA CLASS OPVS WILL HAVE WIDER ROLES IN NAVY ADVERTISING OFFICES: REGULARS Ships with a lot of potential Australia, NZ & Asia Pacific, USA, Canada & South America 04 EDITOR'S LETTER Graham Joss Challenges facing Peter Dutton Sales Director 26 AUSTRALIA’S OCEAN OBSERVATION Phone +61 2 9526 7188 CHALLENGE Fax +61 2 9526 1779 Uninhabited systems might be best Mobile +61 (0) 419 492 836 NEWS Email: [email protected] SPIKE LR2™ 06 AME Systems certification for Triton RPV Europe 32 NAVAL COMMUNICATIONS – A LEAP IN Diana Scogna Mobile: +33 6 6252 2547 Safran and the University of Adelaide CAPABILITY Fax: +33 1 7079 0534 cooperate Connectivity is vital for everything Email: [email protected] 08 Australian next gen combat management Israel system expansion Asa Talbar 34 THE UK’S MAJOR ASIA PACIFIC DEFENCE Talbar Media SHIFT Sentient Vision Systems ViDAR pod Phone: +972-77-562-1900 The Empire strikes back TYPHOON™ Fax: +972-77-562-1903 Email: [email protected] 10 Improving capability and competitiveness in defence industry Printer 37 NEWS FROM ACROSS THE TASMAN Times Printers ISSN 1446-6880 Hunter class frigate blast tests Our regular update Design Stun Media Email: [email protected] PREVIEW ‹‹ LAND WARFARE ISSUE NEXT ISSUE Infantry Fighting Vehicles - Air Defence - Firepower Follow us on twitter: @APDR_APAC READ APDR: ANYTIME, ANYWHERE. 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The publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to uncommissioned photographs, manuscripts or other media. www.rafael.co.il | www.vrasystems.com.au © Ventura Media Asia Pacific Pty Ltd 2020 Asia Pacific Defence Reporter APR-MAY 2021 3 EDITORIAL CHALLENGES FACING NEW DEFENCE MINISTER PETER DUTTON retreat of nationalist forces there at the end of fast. Discuss with Civmec if they can increase the ghastly civil war in 1949, many Taiwanese the rate of production in Western Australia; politicians maintained for decades that they were ask BAE Systems if they have the resources the rightful rulers of the mainland. to resume a two yard build. Equip them with Short of a declaration of Taiwanese canisterised missiles for self defence and surface KYM BERGMANN // CANBERRA independence – which most agree is a step too strike. Commit to at least 18 of them and lift RAN far – China should respect the status quo and numbers from 15,000 personnel to 20,000. ne of the benefits of appointing Peter accept the reality that the island has a complex Third - the RAAF is in good shape, though the Dutton to the position – something that history and separate identity. The very best thing time is now to commit to the extra three squadrons O has been predicted for ages – is that that Beijing could do is encourage more cross- of F-35s that has been on the books for almost he has been a member of the National Security straits investment and tourism rather than invade 20 years. Do not use them to replace Super Committee of Cabinet for the past six years. He Taiwanese airspace on a daily basis with nuclear Hornets and Growlers – use them to supplement therefore should be well aware of our deteriorating capable bombers. As Prime Minister Scott those aircraft. The ‘Loyal Wingman’ autonomous strategic circumstances, which have one major Morrison has indicated in a number of speeches, combat aircraft project seems well funded but cause – the increasingly threatening conduct without directly mentioning Taiwan, Australia has keep pushing that – along with sovereign guided of China, coupled with Beijing’s massive arms a moral duty to protect and defend fellow liberal weapons. Contract for at least another three Triton buildup during the past decade. At least the US democracies in the face of aggression from an surveillance drones and increase the number of can once again be considered a reliable ally with amoral, heavily armed, bullying neighbour. armed MQ-9Bs from 12 to at least 24. President Biden at the wheel – but if another Minister Dutton finds Defence in good shape Fourth - Army has pulled off one of the most Trump-like figure is elected in 2024 we risk being from a financial perspective with money available extraordinary achievements in the history of left on our own. for new capabilities, but even that might not be Australian defence procurement by stealthily As Peter Jennings, the head of the Australian sufficient given the rate of China’s expansion. In managing to scrap a perfectly good fleet of TRANSFORMING FUTURE Strategic Policy Institute, has said the most the event that he will take his cues from APDR, we Tiger armed reconnaissance helicopters and buy obvious current flashpoint is Taiwan. Australia set out these urgent priorities: AH-64E Apaches instead for an extra $4 billion. has no direct security connection with the First - implement a crash program to develop Review the decision – and at the very least MISSIONS AT SEA island – but the US does and undoubtedly would at least four New Generation Collins class keep the Tigers and add the Apache fleet to the expect Australian support in the event of armed submarines equipped with lithium ion batteries. existing force, generating a major increase in Army conflict. While deploying ground forces to the By all means proceed with France’s Naval Group firepower. Look at buying more long-range rocket As the leader of unmanned and autonomous maritime systems, L3Harris is transforming future area seems unlikely, in the event of a looming for a longer-term option – though preferably artillery systems than planned. invasion both the RAAF and the RAN will need with nuclear propulsion. Ignore the bleatings Fifth - Progress is being made in developing a missions with its family of autonomous surface and optionally manned vessels. L3Harris' to be ready to deploy alongside US and possibly of the RAN that neither can be done. Speak sovereign satellite capability – but direct Defence industry-leading surface autonomy technology, the ASView™ control system, enables unmanned Japanese forces. officially with Saab-Kockums about continuing in no uncertain terms that Australia needs to have operations or remote operations from a land-based control station to execute pre-programmed The message from Australia to China needs the work on a new submarine that was abruptly its own communications and earth observation mission plans and real-time operations. Our technology redefines operational capability by enabling to be this: rather than continually threatening and outrageously stopped by Defence in 2014 satellites in orbit within five years. All of the local higher-risk missions, expanding operational reach and extending passive communications. to invade Taiwan, why don’t you concentrate for no good reason. Try and get these in the experts say that it can be done – it just needs the on making your own country so attractive that water before the end of the decade. Speak with political will to make it happen. Nations such as neighbouring states will be clamouring to join it? the Netherlands navy about their submarine Israel and South Korea developed their satellite Learn more at L3Harris.com/ASView The Chinese claim to the island is flimsy at best procurement plans. Bring forward the life of sector very rapidly for reasons of national security.