Super Hornets and Diesel Subs...

[akelly]

...good thing we have a decent Army, eh?

Cheers,

Adam

[Ausfree]

The problems with the Collins class Subs have all been overcome, haven't they!!:whistling:

[THE BOOGER]

The biggest problems are crewing and maintenance as far as diesel subs go they are the biggest in the world and one of the best dont believe what the media write:) The hornets will never be able to do the same job as the F111, just different aircraft built for different things with the cruise missiles we are buying do we need the long range strke capacity that they had? But they were awesome werent they, great on a fire power demo:D

[akelly]

The biggest problems are crewing and maintenance as far as diesel subs go they are the biggest in the world and one of the best dont believe what the media write:) The hornets will never be able to do the same job as the F111, just different aircraft built for different things with the cruise missiles we are buying do we need the long range strke capacity that they had? But they were awesome werent they, great on a fire power demo:D

Collins is a good sub when it works. It never works.

Super Hornet is overmatched by many of our adversaries.

[THE BOOGER]

Since the super hornets are supposed to be a stopgap untill the f35 arrives the big question is will the f35 live up to expectations:)

[Ferret]

Since the super hornets are supposed to be a stopgap untill the f35 arrives the big question is will the f35 live up to expectations:)

Not supposed to be arriving till ~2020 now. By then expectations will have moved on, I expect :p.

[Eevo]

The hornets will never be able to do the same job as the F111, just different aircraft built for different things with the cruise missiles we are buying do we need the long range strke capacity that they had?

not really. the f111 fits a niche that the aust govt/defence force no longer feels is necessary to maintain.

[bob10]

Collins is a good sub when it works. It never works.

Super Hornet is overmatched by many of our adversaries.

Get your facts right, please, Bob



Defence (http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/defence)


Collins sub HMAS Farncomb on target against Americans in exercises



by: BRENDAN NICHOLSON, Defence editor
From: The Australian (http://www.theaustralian.com.au/)
July 25, 2012 12:00AM

THE Australian submarine HMAS Farncomb has torpedoed and sunk a decommissioned American naval ship during an exercise off Hawaii.

And the much-maligned Collins-class submarine has proved more than the equal of nuclear-powered US "hunter-killer" submarines in the so-called RIMPAC military exercises.
The commander of Australia's contingent, Commodore Stuart Mayer, told The Australian the Farncomb also performed very well against US Los Angelese-class boats submerged off Hawaii.
"She's winning a lot more than she's losing," Commodore Mayer said.
He said the commanders of the nuclear-powered LA-class submarines were very keen to test their skills against Australia's Collins-class conventional submarine which was very quiet and agile and which could operate in shallower water than bigger US boats.


Commodore Mayer said the Farncomb had won those contests regularly. "She's doing extremely well," he said.
Commodore Mayer said the Australian submarine had been developed to the point where it had a state-of-the-art combat system and weapons installed with US help.
"It's surprised a lot of people and it's really pushed the Americans in particular very hard.
"They keep asking to work with her because they want to push themselves. She's a great competitor.
"And they can do things a nuclear boat can't do."
Commodore Mayer said submariners were highly competitive and worked hard against each other.
Twenty-two nations are involved in the air, sea and land exercise.
When the Farncomb turned its attention to a surface target, its torpedo hit the retired supply ship USNS Kilauea just below its bridge.
The vessel was broken in half by the blast and sank in 40 minutes.
The submarine's commanding officer, Commander Glen Miles, said the sinking was a significant milestone for himself and his 60-strong crew.
"Those of us who drive these boats know that the Collins's weapons systems are among the most capable in the world," Commander Miles said.
The Farncomb travelled 7000 nautical miles to get to RIMPAC, the world's largest international maritime exercise

[bob10]

...good thing we have a decent Army, eh?

Cheers,

Adam
After experiencing your form in the recently banned site, I won't rise to the bait, [ much], Mr Kelly, and I will just mention in passing the Tiger & NH 90 Army helo's. I'm sure you are not suggesting the personel from both arms of the service are not up to the task, are you? Bob

[cartm58]

Doesn't matter whether it is a good sub or a bad sub if it cannot be deployed due to poor maintenance schedules and engineering support by Australian dockyards.

In terms of Australian Defence budget dollars should we be spending massive amounts of money to support Australian workforce and companies who cannot match overseas competitive costs and productive outputs.

Politicians will say yes as they have been buying votes with the pork barrelling for decades and have created unsustainable dockyard industries in NSW Victoria and SA.

Today technology requirements makes it even more costly to continue this wasteful practice and we should start buying equipment overseas and having the maintenance done overseas as well. Unlikely we will ever fight our USA allies so arguments about being at the mercy of overseas suppliers isn't supportable and we get the high technology parts from overseas now.

As for fighters why are we buying them from USA who in our region has any high performance aircraft capable of flying from their home base to our population centres and if we are to be attacked in the future it is likely to be a ballistic missile attack which no jet fighter can possible defend us against

[VladTepes]

There are SO many things I could say. So much rubbish one one thread already !

As to the last point - It doesn't matter who nearby has strike fighter / air superiority fighter capability...

Indonesian Air Force Sukhoi Su-27, Sukhoi Su-30, F-16 Fighting Falcon
Royal Malaysian Air Force Sukhoi Su-30MKM, Boeing F/A-18 Hornet
(not to mention the Indians who will soon have a number of carriers)

but perhaps you have forgotten that we do a lot of overseas deployments.

[Hymie]

The Australian Defense Force is a team.
While there is always inter-service rivalry, we all do different jobs.
The Armys Job is to seize and Hold ground, something the Airforce and Navy can't do.
The Army can't deliver ship killing missiles, The Airforce can't patrol a town.
If the public can't support the people the Men and Women who put themselves in harms way for our sake then we come from a pretty shallow society.

[Offender90]

The Australian Defense Force is a team.
While there is always inter-service rivalry, we all do different jobs.
The Armys Job is to seize and Hold ground, something the Airforce and Navy can't do.
The Army can't deliver ship killing missiles, The Airforce can't patrol a town.
If the public can't support the people the Men and Women who put themselves in harms way for our sake then we come from a pretty shallow society.

Hmmm... I support the men and women that put themselves in harm's way for our sake, just as I recognise the last time that the men and women have truly put themselves in harms way "for our sake" has been long before I was born.

Ever since WWII, our men and women have been put in harm's way for BS agendas that I don't feel serve Australia's interests IMHO. And that's not their fault, but that of the politicians who make the decisions to send them places 'we' shouldn't be.

[Eevo]

put themselves in harms way "for our sake"

i have two ways of looking at this.

putting yourself in harms way for someone else's sake is a good cause.

or

getting field experience for when we really need it

[bob10]

or

getting field experience for when we really need it

That is fairly spot on , I would suggest. Any student of history would remind us of how unprepared we were against the Japanese in Singapore, Dutch East Indies, and Papua New Guinea 1941/1942. Of course, the depression and dependance on Great Britain for our defence did not help. In the future, we must be prepared to help ourselves, and alliances with our allies is a big step in the right direction. However, alliances demand a reciprical scratching of backs, a sometimes annoying necessity. Bob