With the new Canberra class LHD's coming to Australia soon, just wanted to pick your brains on current thinking on Amphib ops, and future directions of them. What type of ops could we expect Australia to run ? I would assume very similar to the US, UK Etc because they would the main forces we would train and exercise with, would Australia also develop some of its own specialised doctrine given our region ?
I understand the Aus military is already writing its future doctrine on the subject having embedded officers with both the UK and US maritime forces. From a monetary perspective I can see them going for a amphib light option, Aussie simply does not have the man-power to maintain a 24-7 maritime reserve ready to deploy at immediate notice (other than the rolled SF/Commando sqns based on the west and east coast). So maybe a single dedicated and training reinforced company of infantry plus support at the most?
Aussie will certainly have the ships required (centred around a single active LHD) to form a tidy well equipped ARG, but its the infantry and supporting arms that worry me. The Aus army is still too small and I doubt it could commit a battalion level of dedicated marinized infantry on stand-by to deploy aboard an LHD at short notice. A great deal of time has to be spent at sea training not just the teeth arms, but all supporting corps/assets, from landing craft coxswains to helo technicians, they all have to get used to working in confined spaces in an unstable environment before finally earning their sea-legs. Just imagine trying to change out a Tigers engine at night, in poor weather, a totally different ball game to what can be done in a hanger onshore. All crew/infantry have to go through sea training covering HSE/abandon ship, landing craft assembly mustering and boarding drills complete with heavy kit etc. It's a logistical nightmare moving personnel round a ship quickly and efficiently ensuring the loading craft assault waves deploy on time in line with higher command objectives and timings. All this takes endless practice, hence countries with sizable budgets go for dedicated marinised assets, rather than sticking land-based infantry units on board as and when required.
With the arrival of the LHD's, I would hope the Aussies go for a separate Marine Corps, complete with supporting arms, all transferred to the Navy budget and ORBAT. They can then focus on building a unique capability similar to a miniature version of the USMC or 3-Commando Brigade. The UK has three active Commando's plus support, this allows them at a push to conduct one major battalion sized amphibious exercise per-year utilising Ocean, Albion, Bays etc. How many times a year will the Aus military be able to conduct a full-on amphib exercise deploying a full compliment of assets capable of being carried in a single LHD? Based on the current force structure I seriously doubt this could be done at battalion level unless a dedicated sizable maritime force is established above and beyond what is in place now.
