Feature 1 | AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND


Australia’s ANZAC frigates have been undergoing an anti-ship missile defence programme since 2004.


fears of a serious shortfall in capability before the new ships joined the fleet in 2014 and 2015.


Capability shortfall The


Landing Helicopter Docks; and Sea 1000, which envisages replacements for the Collins class submarines. All have suffered setbacks over the past year. JP 2048, involving two amphibious


assault ships being built to the Spanish Rey Juan Carlos I design as the Canberra class, has been indirectly affected. Tese ships are intended to replace the modified Newport class tank landing ships (Kanimbla class) and the heavy-liſt ship HMAS Tobruk, with HMAS Canberra scheduled to be launched by Navantia this year and HMAS Adelaide next year. Te two hulls will be transported to BAE


San Juan class design for the Philippines and used to operate up to 24nm from the coast – appear to have proved satisfactory since arriving in April/May 2009. If Wellington’s naval problems seem to be


easing, albeit aſter a prolonged period, those of Canberra across the Tasman Sea appear to be growing, straining the hopes of even the greatest optimist. Australia has three major projects in


the pipeline: Sea 4000, for an Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD); Joint Project 2048, for


Systems’ Williamstown yard in Melbourne where they will receive superstructure blocks (BAE Systems has a contract for 14) and also for fitting out with Saab 9LV Mk 4 combat system and other electronics as well as weapon systems. Te Canberras will also be the first Australian ships to receive dedicated helicopter control radar, rather than using navigation radar contrary to new international regulations. Tey will use the Kelvin Hughes S-Band (E/F band) SharpEye sensor. However, the condition of the original ships suddenly gave cause for concern and


40-year-old HMAS Kanimbla


was found to have serious corrosion and engine problems that would have cost A$20 million and two years to overcome, so in September 2010 she was placed on ‘operational pause’ by the Seaworthiness Board. Sistership HMAS Manoora was laid up with similar problems. In May, HMAS Tobruk began a


two-month docking period in Sydney but severe corrosion problems and other structural problems were discovered. As she was not scheduled to leave until the end of August, this forced Canberra to plug the gap in the Antarctic role by leasing the super icebreaker Aurora Australis from P&O Maritime Services for nearly A$3.4 million between May and June. She is scheduled for pre-cyclone season maintenance in September and October. HMAS Manoora was decommissioned


in May 2011, a year ahead of schedule, but fortunately London was further reducing its fleet and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s Bay class auxiliary dock landing ship RFA Largs Bay, commissioned only in 2006, was available and has now been acquired by Canberra at a cost of £65 million (A$100 million). She was assessed by Teekay Shipping


Australia as being “well constructed and overall… In good materiel condition” having been in service with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary up to the point she was paid off. Following trials in April she was scheduled to reach Australia in December. On 13 August it was announced she will


The first keel block for HMAS Hobart, the first of the new Air Warfare Destroyers, is delivered to Adelaide.


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be re-named HMAS Choules, aſter the last known veteran of the First World War, and a member of the Royal Navy as well as the Royal Australian Navy, who died aged 110 in May. She will be commissioned early next year, although some modifications may be made to adapt her for Australian service. She is twice the displacement of the 8450tonnes (full load) Kanimblas and has five times the carrying capacity in linear metres. However, she lacks a helicopter hangar (although one can be fitted at the cost of deck space) and can carry only one utility landing craft, compared to two medium landing craſt in the Kanimblas, which theoretically have higher speeds and twice the range.


Warship Technology October 2011


Feature 1


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