ADF | Surface Fleet Review: Biggest Naval Expansion since WWII

On 20 February 2024, the Australian Government released its blueprint for a larger and more lethal surface combatant fleet for the Royal Australian Navy. The Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon Richard Marles MP; Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy MP and Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AO RAN, announced Navy’s future surface combatant fleet at Fleet Base East in Sydney.

This follows the Government’s consideration of the recommendations of the Independent Analysis of the surface combatant fleet, commissioned in response to the Defence Strategic Review.

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S20240313

[patrickalford]

Australia is an island so naturally, the highest priority should be with our Navy first.

[Dieu_regne]

Why does production take so long!? In a war you can't wait ten years for one ship. Australia better avoid any conflicts for next 25 years...

[darhman]

Lets hope the same people who thought equipping an AIR WARFARE destroyer with only 48 VLS and frigates with 8 VLS, aren't making the decisions of what types of ships we get lol....

[sammydsouza]

Build 12 Hunters
Build 12 Type 83 AAW Destroyers
Build 12 Astutes

[raymondstuart]

The most sensible thing to do is to talk to the US and link into their Constellation Class ( Fremm ) Frigate programme for the tier 2 ships, a combined build in both countries with each country equally supplying sections to reduce cost significantly over a build of many dozens of ships, would probably get hulls into the water quicker. And i just cant understand why Oz is unable to build an additional 3 -6 more Hobart AAW Destroyers, with the latest upgrades and increase the VLS capacity to a minimum of 64 cells, and I'm sure Navantia would help to design an increase in ship size to accommodate more lethality.

[christopherrobert]

No point having ships if the people are leaving the defence force faster then you can recruit

[Aussieme]

No point unless the new Hunter class gets 96+vls's

[GlenCychosz]

Add air defense and anti shipping missile defence to the 2 LHDs. They are defenceless.
L02 Canberra and L01 Adelaide are both targets in a conflict.

[Mrbuckaroonie..]

New ship announcement, Chief of Navy all over the camera. Nowhere to be seen before that. He should have been out in public saying, "My Navy is not ready for war." Nothing but a Politician in uniform., hoping that he grovels enough he might be the next CDF. Absolutely pathetic.

[glenbutcher]

I will believe it when I see it. Until then, it is just hot air.

[patricklorkin]

We are in real trouble. My caculation is 9 ships total once the old ANZAC's go.
Utopia is alive and well
How does 11 plus 6 equal 26?
Especially as the 8 Anzac class frigates start decommissioning now in 2024!!!
The Hobart class not available until 2034??
Arafura?
Am l missing something obvious??

[whyandaccount]

Two points.
1. Who is going to crew them?
2. Where does the funding come from? This does not come with an increase to the Budget so I guess Army gets gutted - again.

[Nathan-ryyu]

11 new smaller 5000 tonne ASW frigate fair enough.

But why not upgunned the hunter class to AWDs? Could of had 6 new destroyers.

And why 6 new optional crewed vessels preferred over 6 new conventional powerd submarines? Australia could had both varents of nuclear powerd and conventional powerd submarines for different missions and capability?

[rogue]

that is great to hear! a much needed upgrade to the navy

[am]

We only have 11 Warships? How did we become so weak?

[rodneymiddleton]

Too little Too late I will not hold my breathe on his words.

[jaredoliver]

gov needs to make it interesting and the Australian people need to stop acting like children and rally our defenses.

[Gameplay-jcgj]

Good news. Respect to Honourable Richard Marles and Vice Admiral Mark Hammond.

[turtle-frogs]

WW2 we didn't have any SUBMARINE.😂

[micksteel]

I highly advise the government of Australia not to go to war, you guys already lost all trust of the people and very few will help.