Australian Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

FORBIN said:

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Australian Defense Department said:

Chief Executive Officer of the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) Mr Warren King today announced the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) first Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) has entered the major assembly stage at the Lockheed-Martin facility in Fort Worth, Texas.

Mr King said major components of the first Australian aircraft are now being joined together to form the aircraft’s structure.

“Known as AU-1, Australia’s first F-35 will now make its way down the assembly line and roll out of the factory for delivery to the RAAF in the summer of 2014,” Mr King said.

“Importantly 14 Australian companies are currently under contract and building parts for the F-35 as part of the global supply chain.

“Australian industry is expected to gain several billion dollars in industry opportunities over the life of the F-35 program.”

Mr King paid credit to Australian industry with almost every F-35 built having some Australian parts and components.

The F-35 is a 5th generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, advanced mission systems, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and cutting-edge sustainment.

Mr King said of the three variants being produced, Australia is acquiring the Conventional Take-Off and Landing (CTOL) F-35A variant.

“When integrated into a networked Australian Defence Force, the F-35 will fulfil the functions of air dominance and strike capability currently provided by F/A-18A/B Hornets and F/A-18F Super Hornets,” Mr King said.

A commitment to acquire the first 14 JSF aircraft and associated support equipment at a cost of around $3.2 billion was made in 2009.

AU-1 and the second Australian F-35 aircraft, AU-2, will be delivered in the course of 2014 in the United States for testing and training purposes.

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Australian Defense Magazine said:

Lockheed Martin and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) have celebrated the beginnings of the first F-35 Lightning II for Australia.

The aircraft, designated as AU-1, officially began the mate process, where major components of the aircraft are joined together to form the aircraft’s structure.

AU-1 will then make its way down the assembly line and roll out of the factory for delivery to the RAAF in the summer of 2014.

The global supply chain for the F-35 currently has 14 Australian companies under contract and building parts for the F-35.

Australian industry is expected to gain up to $6.3 billion USD in industry opportunities over the life of the F-35 program.

Every F-35 built will have some Australian parts and components.

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Sea Waves said:

HMAS Success (OR-304) returned to sea on 25 October and has commenced Sea Qualification Trials and a Unit Readiness workup package.

The significant milestone marked the end of a complex refit package, which included an extensive docking, considerable engineering plant overhaul and structural work.

Commander Australian Fleet RADM Tim Barrett, AM, CSC, RAN and Commander Surface Force CDRE Jonathan Mead, AM, RAN were on the wharf to farewell the ship, and were visibly proud of what their personnel and supporting agencies had achieved.

The crew enjoyed a period of calm reflection as Success sailed through the harbour on a picturesque Sydney day, relishing in the end result of their efforts.

Commanding Officer, Captain Allison Norris said her ship’s company had put in many hours of hard work to return the battle tanker to sea.

“Every department on the ship put in substantial effort to get Success seaworthy. Their willingness to come together as a team to get he job done was outstanding.”

“The engineering department’s commitment and dedication to progressing an intricate Test and Trials program among a busy whole ship program was particularly noteworthy,” said Captain Norris.

Success has now started Sea Qualification Trials and a Unit Readiness workup package. The ship achieved alongside Mariner Skills Evaluation (MSE) on 16 October and are expected to attain Unit Readiness Certification by the end of 2013, in preparation for a busy operational program in 2014.

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World Maritime News said:

Australian shipbuilder ASC’s production teams have had to contend with mother nature in the past to get the latest blocks added to the the first Hobart Class air warfare destroyer (AWD).

At the end of September, Block 503, the stern of the ship, was successfully lifted onto the ship structure in the early hours of the morning to avoid heavy winds.

Block 709, which holds the Aegis SPY radar array faces, was also lifted onto the ship structure this month and Block 713 was lifted earlier this week.

Minister for Defence, David Johnston announced the successful lift of Block 709 at the Pacific 2013 International Maritime Conference in Sydney in early October.

The Aegis tower, constructed at ASC South will house the four octagonal-shaped phased array panels of the Aegis AN/SPY-1D (V) search radar.

This brings the total number of blocks lifted onto the structure to date to 25 with only six remaining.

In early October the first of the keel blocks for Ship 2 was successfully lifted into the ships cradles.

Block 107, which weighs 250 tonnes, is the first of five major keel blocks to be lifted into position in preparation for Ship 2 keel laying in February 2014.

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The first operational squadron of F-35As, which will be No. 3 Squadron, should be up and running by the end of 2020 DEFENSE STUDIES: F-35s on Track for Delivery

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KONGSBERG has signed a contract with the New Zealand Defence Force for the delivery of Penguin Mk 2 Mod 7 anti-ship missiles and associated equipment. The missiles will be deployed on the Royal New Zealand Navy new Kaman SH-2G Super Seasprite maritime helicopters.

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Sea Waves said:

On Monday, Australia’s second Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) ship departed the Navantia Ferrol Dockyard in Spain for a short trip south to Vigo, where she will be loaded onto the Dockwise Heavy Lift Ship (HLS) Blue Marlin for transit to Australia.

Weather permitting, Blue Marlin is scheduled to depart before Christmas and is expected to arrive at the BAE Systems shipyard in Williamstown in February 2014.

BAE will continue work on the LHD until it is ready to be delivered to the Royal Australian Navy. Once delivered, the second LHD will be commissioned HMAS Adelaide.

Loading of the LHD 02 hull onto the Blue Marlin is planned to commence between December 9 and 16. Once loaded in the transit cradle on Blue Marlin’s stern, sea fastenings and scantlings will be fitted to secure the LHD hull for the transit from Spain to Australia.

LHD02 is the second of two Landing Helicopter Docks, also known as Amphibious Assault Ship’s, being built for the Royal Australian Navy. The 27,000 tonne ships will be able to land a force of over 2,000 personnel by helicopter and water craft, along with all their weapons, ammunition, vehicles and stores.

The LHD project will provide the Australian Defence Force with one of the most capable and sophisticated air-land-sea amphibious deployment systems in the world.

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Japan asked to share submarine technology
AUSTRALIA has asked Japan to consider providing highly advanced propulsion technology to be used in the navy's planned 12 new submarines.

Defence Minister David Johnston has told The Weekend Australian Japanese officials had visited submarine maintenance facilities in Adelaide and talks were continuing.

In a speech to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Senator Johnston spoke about the Abbott government's wish to cement closer defence ties with Japan, including much closer defence-industry ties.

Senator Johnston said later he was particularly interested in the use of Japan's extremely effective submarine technology in Australia's future submarine, which is most likely to be an evolution of Australia's existing Collins-class vessels.

Japan's Soryu-class is the world's biggest and possibly the best diesel-electric submarine and Senator Johnston is particularly keen on its "drive train" - the whole propulsion system, from the propeller through to the electric motor and the diesel engine that charges the boat's batteries.

He said he hoped Japan would consider sharing its "back-end" technology...... To read more

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navyreco said:

Royal New Zealand Navy selects KONGSBERGs Penguin anti-ship missile for Seasprite helicopters

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kwaigonegin said:

They still make Seasprite? wow! I'm sure the SH-2G for RNZN has all the latest avionics etc but the basic design is like 50 years old.
Why not just go with Seahawks like everyone else?

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Kaman Announces Authorization from New Zealand for the Purchase of Ten SH-2G(I) Super Seasprite Aircraft

WELLINGTON, New Zealand--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr. 18, 2013-- Kaman Corp. (NYSE:KAMN) today announced that the New Zealand Cabinet has authorized the New Zealand Ministry of Defence (MoD) to enter into an approximately $120 million contract with Kaman Aerospace Corporation (Kaman) for the purchase of ten SH-2G(I) Super Seasprite aircraft, spare parts, a full mission flight simulator, and related logistics support.

The MoD and Kaman expect to execute a contract in the next few weeks. Kaman anticipates the contract will call for the aircraft to be delivered over an approximately three year period with revenue recognition beginning in 2013.

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