First we noticed a small piece of good news that a Wollongong-based steel manufacturer has landed a contract with a US submarine builder, but it’s likely to be very small. Which prompts the question: where is the $30 billion going that Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy says will be spent in Australia for AUKUS Pillar 1 – and it doesn’t take much to figure out that at least the first $10 billion is going on digging ditches and filling them with concrete. Not a lot of value adding there. The Defence budget, when used properly, can be a powerful tool for investing directly in the Australian economy. Very few governments understand that – and the current one appears clueless.
Next – the looming disaster of the General Purpose Frigate. This is already a mess because not only is the media being kept in the dark but far more seriously the companies themselves have been forbidden from any contact with Australian industry. Let’s have a quick recap of how Australia successfully managed naval shipbuilding in the mid 1990s. Finally – an alternate future: the RAN could have started taking delivery in 2026 of the first of a class of powerful, missile firing corvettes. Instead we get nothing.
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An astonishing revelation about the absurd level of secrecy. No wonder companies are questioning whether there are hidden agenda’s. These offers are not without costs, any business worth its salt would take a long look at this and ask is it worth it and are they really in the running?
Defence is its own worst enemy, or is there really another agenda at play here that APDR readers and these companies are catching on to?
Why not accept the Navantia offer of more Hobart class? Not my favourite ship, but in service and made here and we know what we are getting. Certainly a speedy option.
The Italian Theron di Revel class ships (PPA’s), now 4 in the water and being offered to Indonesia as a no waiting direct sale…not mentioned.
There are more to list but I don’t think we need to reinvent the wheel.
However all is trumped in the tragedy stakes by your revelation about the 100m Luerssen offer, what a fantastic sounding platform. From, as you say, a very experienced company with much to offer. An excellent opportunity to get fire power in the water fast, and better yet, leveraging off an existing contract.
Tragically ignored and worse yet, a quite an insulting way to my mind to treat that company!
An absurd tragedy indeed.
Now to wait and see the true agenda.
I’m completely mystified by the game that Defence are playing.
Hi Kym, I am sad to say that your dismal & sad comments on Australian defence procurement are sadly correct. I have an interest and connection the RAN. But also a personal connection to other branches.
I truly wonder what it will take for the ADF and Gov to take anything seriously. Like you, the lack of info from defence industry providers, says it all. “There is no plan, no understanding, and no consultation with industry.” I hopefully will have a chance to talk to “someone” in Gov on Anzac day, but feel they are also in the dark. The complete refusal to provide info to the media, little loan the public is simply wrong and going to back fire. It worries me that i seem to know far more than the ministers, or senior ADF personnel that are allowed to speak.
The more people who know what is going on, the better. Defence and the government rely on public apathy.
Thanks for your Podcasts, I actually look forward to them them and often relisten to past ones to refresh my memory. The concept that the Fleet Upgrade is a smoke screen for the eventual purchase of Constellation Frigates is not as far fetched as imagined and if this comes to pass very minimal work will come Australia’s way. At most, possibly Austal U.S. will build the Australian Boats rather than Fincantier in Wisconsin, which the DoD will claim is a necessary evil because of time frames and at least it’s an Australian Company. I know first hand how secretive and obtuse the DoD can be but this level is absurd even for them . The whole “ Planning for the Future Conflict “ rhetoric spouted by ministers and Departments alike is fine but when the danger (as the same Ministers And Departments keep telling us) of conflict is a lot closer than we thought something needs to done now…. AUKUS is turning out to be the worst decision we ever signed on for
As many of us feared, AUKUS is having a huge, distorting effect on Defence thinking and spending. The level of self-imposed secrecy is crippling the Department’s ability to function.
given the quality and speed at which South Koreans can build ships, perhaps we should deal with them?