Royal Australian Navy Discussions and Updates 2.0

[swerve]

A deal that says we will build 8 SSNs for our needs and 8 for the US over a 20 year period could be an option.

I don't see the Americans being keen on changing their laws to allow that.

 

[John Fedup]

I don't see the Americans being keen on changing their laws to allow that.

Agree, but they should. Likely the only way to get more boats for all three partners.

 

[SammyC]

I don't see the Americans being keen on changing their laws to allow that.

Probably not, but stranger things have happened

 

[hauritz]

Of course something else that could come from the American submarine review is that we might not get the submarines we want. What we are after initially is a block IV Virginia with about 20 years of life left in its hull. It wouldn’t surprise me if we ended up being offered a much older boat.

The USN might be less concerned about handing over an earlier block submarine.

 

[Stampede]

Of course something else that could come from the American submarine review is that we might not get the submarines we want. What we are after initially is a block IV Virginia with about 20 years of life left in its hull. It wouldn’t surprise me if we ended up being offered a much older boat.

The USN might be less concerned about handing over an earlier block submarine.

Maybe the USS Nautilus


Cheers S.

 

[InterestedParty]

Excuse the ignorance but how out of date would the combat and other systems be on an older boat? Do they upgrade on a regular basis to a common baseline?
As I understand it, the boats are not normally refuelled and I assume that would be a significant issue in both cost and time
Would refuelling an older boat have any impact on the delivery or availability of the new/existing boats

 

[Going Boeing]

The whole premise of why BLOCK 4 Virginia’s were planned for the RAN’s first 2 SSN’s was that they have enough life (including reactor fuel) to last the expected 20 years until the 6th & 7th AUKUS SSN’s enter service. Earlier Virginia’s would have to be retired earlier which would reduce fleet numbers for a few years.

My understanding from what the British have encountered is that when a refuelling has to be carried out on a reactor that was designed for a full life core, it is very expensive and takes a lot of extra time, ie, it has to be avoided at all cost. The RAN would be better off rejecting early Virginias and try to keep the Collins in service until the new SSN’s can be built locally.

PS. Kanimbla & Manoora come to mind when talking about taking early Virginias.