Australia's new Defence white paper will be coming out tomorrow...The government promising to spend 2pc of GDP on upcoming Defence spends. Some new platforms will include 16 - 72 F-35s (depending on if they work) 12 new Submarines! And increase in crew numbers More Frigates! 5000 more soldiers... lets see what else is involved...sounds adequate so far...
Looks like an election is coming on! Sounds good but we will eventually see about 10% of it. About as good as komrade kevins effort.
I think we'll see more actually...some of these platforms are to be constructed in Australia and would be a bad idea to go back on...I think we might be doing more with our troops and with the South China sea business, the Frigates and subs should be a priority...Forgive me for asking, but whats with the numbers with every post?
AFAIK, the RAN has been having big trouble assembling more than 2 crews for our 'Collins' subs. So we can hardly ever actually put 2 subs to sea. The incentives of a HUGE bonus to sign up have largely been unsuccessful. My bet is that we wil get 8 new subs, and maybe a set of crews to man them if we are lucky and they do not sink first. I also would not trust out SA sub company to build a canoe! All socialist unionists to a man. Buy the German ones !
Sure they have had trouble... Could be a package of changes...money, conditions etc etc...maybe even an entry requirement. We always love to poach from OS navies too...my bet is we will get 12...as that's the minimum for our purposes...My money is on the Japanese : ) 1228
Maybe AU should build a couple islands. How many island airstrips could an F35 buy. China has brass balls. They figure Hawaii is an example of how islands are used by the US for defense.
China does have brass balls...and I like it! : ) Bout time the US had a foe more its equal...I like China's sense of sovereignty and its guile...personally I back most of what they say, think its reasonable...They didn't like our White Paper, the language was a little aggressive and they have warned us of an arms race if we proceed much further...and fair enough. I DO like the acquisition of long range missiles, this makes Australia more of a target and not in keeping with the peaceful south...but with China rising and especially the lack of work on North Korea, it sends a message... We have heaps of Islands, but none where it would be strategically important...the South China sea is in THEIR backyard not ours or the US's I wouldn't be too happy with potential rivals flying and sailing by willy-nilly either...and the US has made border incursions regularly, so they have been asking for it in a sense. But Australia and the US are getting a big arse satellite to do the job aircraft were doing, so that wont change anyway... Oh and by the way, the white paper makes provision for "armed drones" - The NT is hoping to get the manufacturing job for that...but so are the other states...but hey, most defence projects should be in the NT...we are so close to everything.
I am still in the unconvinced camp with the threat of the new Chinese Navy. Granted they are expanding in the face of other navy's reductions and on paper it looks impressive, but looks alone to dot tell the tale. US naval forces have been operating on a virtual (and often actual) war footing since December of 1941. A wealth of actual battle knowledge and tradition in a variety of situations, places and conditions. China lacks this. Everything is new, untested and still subject to the dictates of Soviet style command, control and traditions. They might prove adept, their ships/planes/weapons might perform as they claim they will in actual battle conditions, but we just do not know as a fact. The USN does not have to prove anything.
Don't get me wrong...the US war machine is NOT to be f...d with...the Chinese know this, but are still standing strong anyway, I like that...could be a bit of Irish in their veins : ) Anyway, from the pictures ive seen...I cant see these islands or whats on them lasting long after a big storm or cyclone...and if it happened, at high tide! Its for that reason that I think most of, if not almost all these installations are frames only...just MO.
Not long ago, the Chinese aircraft carrier was considered a bit of a joke. Now not so much. What they lack in high tech warfare, they make up in numbers...Wonder if a major Chinese attack would begin with old Mig's retrofitted as drones, which would attack/saturate defenses. Anyway, looks like the US Navy went on a walkabout in the South China Sea. http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/the-us-navy-just-sailed-an-armada-of-warships-into-the-1762734867
