Planning to upgrade the navy's amphibious fleet began in 2000, based on Australian experiences leading the International Force for East Timor peacekeeping operation. The first is the obvious one – they don’t want us to bomb their next-door neighbour. What would such a capability be used for? The ships will contribute directly to the defence of Australia and its national interests, and also allow the ADF to provide large-scale humanitarian assistance, at home or in our region. No amount of ground-based fast air with tankers can or ever will offer that. HMAS Canberra is the lead ship of the two ship Canberra Class Amphibious Assault Ships otherwise known as a Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD). While circumstances might make that vessel hard to find, once it is found it’ll be sunk, and that’s that. Describing it as a ‘non-combat‘ skill illustrates a profound misunderstanding of how maritime air power is generated. The sole difference between the Spanish and Australian ships regarding this matter is the addition of an extra bulkhead in the magazine, incorporated at the behest of Lloyd’s, not the ADF or DoD. One officer reportedly quipped that he wished the ski-jumps on the ships could be demolished in order to dissuade the government from acquiring F-35Bs. And Alan, it is me the “Bar Fly” you refer to in your 2nd and 3rd paragraphs of your comments. Once we acquire F-35B it will be that much easier to pitch the cruising option if it has not been selected already…all good things in time. This new method of landing could unlock new possibilities for the F-35B. Given those objective circumstances, we need to ask ourselves the following questions: Is the (potential) capability of a Canberra-class vessel carrying a handful of F-35Bs cost-effective? The Australian Naval Institute (ANI) is a self-supporting and non-profit making organisation to provide a forum for Naval personnel and others interested in maritime affairs. Sadly, it’s my experience that much of the heat doesn’t shed any light, and the recent discussion thread on The Central Blue had some examples of the genre, which I’ll address. Further enquiries to those committee members and the CDRE who wrote the final report, if you please. The hull was then transported by Heavy Lift Ship MV Blue Marlin to BAE Systems’s shipyard in Williamstown, Victoria for final construction and fit-out such as the consolidation of the superstructure and installation of the Combat and Communication Systems. Tackling environmental security threats in the Indian Ocean. Canberra is the third ship to bear the name after the Kent Class heavy cruiser and Adelaide Class guided missile frigate. “Perhaps if the ships had come out of the dockyards ready to go as F-35B platforms the story might be different.” Lowy Institute, © Copyright 2020 There is also the issue of defending a deployed ADF fleet. No, not really. The country's first amphibious flattop, the Dokdo, is smaller than Japan's Izumo class and it isn't clear exactly how capable the vessel would be of sustaining F-35B operations without a major refit. The first LHD was named Canberra in an official naval ceremony on 15 February 2013. Two years on from my previous assessment, it’s clear to any impartial observer that the US has put a massive effort into getting the F-35B cleared and capable from decks and ships that are comparable in size and capability to the RAN’s LHDs. The Japanese decision also has more practical consequences, as it increases the interoperability returns for an Australian acquisition, and may marginally reduce the cost of buying the F-35B. Having struggled to contain the spread of the coronavirus, the country has put all its chips on securing access to an effective vaccine. Flat-tops have been operationally deployed for decades, and none have been sunk since WorldWar II. Marcus does raise one intriguing suggestion that I had previously not considered. Increasing the distance from base to objective reduces the amount of air power (time over the target) and the weight of ordnance that a force of aircraft can deliver in a given time frame. With this in mind, the coming decade could see the strategic naval balance in the Pacific region being heavily dictated by whose carrier strike groups can do what and where. This year's opening article revisits the F-35B debate sparked by Jenna Higgins' post from December 2016. But those concerns have always been overblown. All this is happening as China and India work to rapidly build-up their own fixed-wing aircraft carrier capacity. ” The navies of India, Japan, the United States, and Australia will participate jointly in Malabar 2020. Surely, as F-35B equipped US LHAs and LHDs (and possibly the UK’s Queen Elizabeth-class carriers) become increasingly common visitors to the China/Pacific region, the ADF will have to look again at how it might develop an ability to more freely deploy its main striking force at long range. The B model also offers the potential for highly dispersed operations in areas where traditional stealth fighter aircraft would likely be unable to operate. [Image Credit: US Navy]. For what it’s worth, the Japanese requested and received F-35B ship integration requirements for the design of the Izumos: obviously which way they will go is unknown to us, but the beginning of possibility is certainly there. But if you want to materially influence events on the ground in a reasonable time frame, you need maximum time on task and weight of effort. HMAS Canberra. 27,831 tonnes (unloaded and not docked down), 4 x Typhoon stabilised weapon systems with 25mm M242 Bushmaster chaingun and coaxially mounted M240 7.62mm machine gun, 18 helicopters with 6 operating simultaneously from the flight deck, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), 19 knots (sustained maximum at full-load), up to 8 knots (reversing speed with full directional control). Of course, others may differ. As I have discussed in great detailed over the years, the F-35 A and C models' design was impacted negatively on virtually all levels to accommodate the B model's STOVL requirement. Published daily by the Robert Farley is an assistant professor at the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce. This hotly debated change has largely occurred piecemeal, but supposedly Japan will officially address the legality of these changes and its overall strategic aim in its upcoming National Defense Program Guidelines, which is supposed to be published sometime next year. The gear around the flight deck doesn’t fall apart under jet blast. “It’s improbable that they’d be used in a high-threat environment without the full support of the US Navy and Air Force,” In my view, this is wholly flawed thinking. Does the F-35B still have a fighting chance to make it onto Australia’s Canberra-class warships? Or wants to attack you because you have no defences? F-35B would offer a hugely capable air defence capability in addition to its strike role, but the idea has attracted some passionate opposition. They might offer HNS, but with strings, such as only for only for AAR sorties, not actual strike missions. Does the F-35B still have a fighting chance to make it onto Australia’s Canberra-class warships?. Other arguments are deployed in an attempt to make the HNS issue go away. As a result, I’ve been asked by The Central Blue team to provide a stand-alone piece to update my original article and touch on some of the main issues raised. That ski jump is a valuable (and currently unused) asset. A conventional steel mono hull design is employed with the superstructure located on the starboard side of the flight deck. I have a high regard for their track record, especially when it comes to costing Defence projects. Next, Canberra is due to decide in 2022 or 2023 how to replace 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets that entered service in 2010 as strike aircraft and are pencilled in for retirement around 2030. Back in November 2014, I wrote a piece for the Australian Strategic Policy Institute on potential F-35B operations from the new RAN LHDs (LHD and F-35B: The Debate Opens Up). Marcus talks generally about “going up against the Chinese fleet in the South China Sea”, but even if that were to happen, in what plausible future would such a clash involve an amphibious landing by the ADF? The answer might be to buy an additional squadron of the F-35B, he says, a jump-jet variant that can operate from amphibious ships such as HMAS Canberra and HMAS Adelaide. On the contrary, I thought your follow-up to the article was excellent: measured, informed and most worthy. China Launches Its First Home-Built Clone Of An Aircraft Carrier. Thanks Steve, an informative post. F-35B operations will require a much (much) smaller training ‘delta’ for aircrew than either ‘cat and trap’ or legacy STOVL aircraft. With the exception of the America they are less optimal for F-35B than the Canberras. 2) I recall reading analysis reports showing that naval aircraft were often limited on range/stores due to the need to get off a small deck, often resulting on better effects and/or longer loiter time from ground based aircraft when targets were further inland. So, what about the cost aspect? 30 Jan 2019 10:00, In beef over barley, Chinese economic coercion cuts against the grain, Pacific links: APEC rebuke, raised eyebrows, and more. Speculation about succession by Hun Sen’s eldest son is an interesting talking point – that could go on a while yet. Copyright 2016 Williams Foundation | All Rights Reserved, Putting F-35B on the Canberra Class LHDs: The Debate Continues –, http://www.defence.gov.au/Operations/Okra/atg.asp, USMC’s recent successful trial of their ‘Lightning Carrier’, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnHGlxfstfQ, Juan Carlos / Canberra Class LHD - Page 35 - DefenceTalk Forum - Military & Defense Forums, #ADFRAS2040 – Reflections on the Possibilities of Autonomous Systems –, #BookReview – Essence of Decision – Reviewed by David Hood, Call for Submissions: Robotics and Autonomous Systems 2040 –. The construction of the hull to the level of the flight deck and the majority of fit-out is being undertaken at Navantia’s shipyard in Ferrol, Spain. That’s not an opinion, it’s a fact. Retiring from the RN as a commander, he joined the JSF programme to work on F-35B ship suitability. 3) AAR is often used by naval aircraft as well as land based aircraft, often due to #2 above. At 27,000 tonnes, the LHDs are the largest ships ever constructed for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and are being built by contractors BAE Systems Australia and Navantia. Or how it might protect its surface forces against developing air threats. Canberra carries the pennant number L02 and not L01, even though it was the first of its class to be built. The Spanish have a requirement for 20 F-35Bs, but have been told to not ask until at least 2025: the Spanish government has some well-noted money problems. Is this another factor that should be considered? Based on the Buque de Proyección Estratégica (Strategic Projection Ship) design by Spanish shipbuilders Navantia. Beyond the general dimensional requirements needed to house and operate the F-35B, other vessel-impact issues have to be taken into account as well. But again, why is this an urgent capability requirement? Can it (and should it) rely on Host Nation Support (HNS)? As was the case with Japan, the Royal Australian Navy almost certainly can rely on the theoretical and practical work that the U.S. Marine Corps has done on optimizing the effectiveness of the F-35B on its own large amphibious assault ships. But then, Australia has a fifth of the population of Japan and a quarter of the GDP. AAR tankers deliver huge amounts of fuel – but they also consume large amounts themselves, and frequently have to dump unused fuel to land back at base. Once again, the Harrier could also be an option here as well, but seeing as the country is a major F-35 customer already, and is set to remodel their entire air combat capability, going for the latest and greatest option seems more likely. And how would an ADF campaign reliant on a solitary on-station LHD/amphibious assault ship/aircraft carrier be affected if that vessel were sunk?

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