This episode coincides with the release of the July-August edition of APDR so there will be some cross-referencing. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has started his 6-day visit to China, which has sparked the usual conservative talking points about why he has met President Xi four times but has not yet secured an audience with US President and human wrecking ball Donald Trump. PM Albanese is wise avoiding him – any meeting runs the risk of going off the rails and becoming a forum of personal abuse. Then some details of the MEKO 200, the ship being offered for SEA 3000 by Germany’s TKMS. It looks like a good low risk strategy based around the Saab 9LV combat management system. Additionally, some – but not all – of the claimed advantages of Japan’s upgraded Mogami frigate don’t stand up to scrutiny. Also, what on earth is going on with the Henderson maritime precinct in WA and some strange recent comments from Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy? Finally, with Patriot missiles in high global demand, let’s work with the South Koreans to build the medium range surface-to-air missiles they have developed in Australia.
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![[Photo2] Hanwha Systems` USV(Unmanned Surface Vessel) ″Sea Ghost″ for maritime reconnaissance](https://asiapacificdefencereporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Photo2-Hanwha-Systems-USVUnmanned-Surface-Vessel-″Sea-Ghost″-for-maritime-reconnaissance-218x150.jpg "Hanwha, HavocAI team up on unmanned maritime tech")
![[Photo2] Hanwha Systems` USV(Unmanned Surface Vessel) ″Sea Ghost″ for maritime reconnaissance](https://asiapacificdefencereporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Photo2-Hanwha-Systems-USVUnmanned-Surface-Vessel-″Sea-Ghost″-for-maritime-reconnaissance-100x70.jpg "Hanwha, HavocAI team up on unmanned maritime tech")
Our politicians have got it backwards. If you are in a used car lot and find yourself kicking the tyres of a 20 year old SSN then it is up to the salesman to convince you why buying that half worn out POS is a good idea. When that submarine dealership then says it then wants you to return that submarine whenever they have need of it then it is time to walk away from the deal.
Really the Trump administration are, among other things, hypocrites. All this talk about America First is fine but lets respond with an Australia First policy.
China is a bigger threat to US interests than it is to Australia’s. China represents about 25% of our trade. Really America needs to make the case of why we should involve ourselves in any conflict with China. If anything we should be sending the a bill for half the cost of developing FBW for their SSNs.
Australia does need to develop regional alliances but at the same time we need to be careful we don’t get walked over in the process.
I read with interest your interview in APDR ,July-August edition with Minister Conroy. I must commend the Minister on his amazing ability to conduct such an interview and say absolutely nothing. Your Podcast was again interesting , especially about the TKMS Meko ( which I have always been in favour off) I believe that a solution to the “cant upset Japan again” problem would be to offset the choosing of the TKMS bid by opting to buy Taigei submarines built in Japan. Obviously this means not proceeding with the Virginia purchase, after all AUKUS is about the new boat being designed in England . This can solve a lot of problems, as it’s a new design we could even look at LEU fuel over HEU ( the Greens and the IAEA would have less to complain about )