USA - Australia military cooperation

Lockheed Martin Begins Testing on Australia’s First Aegis Weapon System


MOORESTOWN, NJ, August 13th, 2009 -- The Aegis Weapon System destined for Australia’s first Air Warfare Destroyer began a four month testing program today at Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT]’s Aegis Production Test Center.

When testing concludes, the full Aegis Weapon System will be ready for installation in HMAS Hobart, the first of three Australian Air Warfare Destroyers under contract.

Lockheed Martin’s Production Test Center replicates a ship’s superstructure and allows for the first integration of all the subsystems of the Aegis Weapon System, including the SPY-1D(V) radar, illuminators, all computing hardware, and the cabling that will be used in the final ship installation. In its Production Test Center, Lockheed Martin conducts testing concurrently with each subsystem’s installation, as well as with the entire completed Aegis Weapon System, in order to ensure the system is ready for the rigors of sea before it ever leaves land.

“This land-based testing process is critical to the exacting reliability that Aegis continually delivers, and will deliver for the Australian Navy,” said Orlando Carvalho, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin’s Surface/Sea-Based Missile Defense Systems line of business.

Upon completion of the testing, the Aegis Weapon System will be shipped to ASC Shipyard in Adelaide, Australia, when the shipyard is ready to install the system. The Hobart-class Air Warfare Destroyer will be the most advanced and complex warships ever built in Australia and will introduce the Aegis Weapon System to the Royal Australian Navy.

The Aegis Weapon System is the world’s premier proven naval defense system. Its precision
S-band SPY-1 radar and missile system seamlessly integrate with its own command and control. Its ability to detect, track and engage targets ranging from sea-skimming cruise missiles to ballistic missiles in space is unmatched.

The 91 Aegis-equipped ships currently in service around the globe have more than 1,100 years of at-sea operational experience and have launched more than 3,500 missiles in tests and real-world operations. In addition to the U.S. and Australia, Aegis is the maritime weapon system of choice for Japan, Norway, South Korea and Spain.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 146,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2008 sales of $42.7 billion.


http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2009/08/mil-090813-lockheed-martin02.htm

ASEAN Leaders React to Planned US Marine Base in Australia

November 17, 2011

Brian Padden | Bali, Indonesia
In-Depth Coverage

The announcement by President Barack Obama that he plans to station U.S. troops in Australia is drawing mixed reactions at the ASEAN Summit in Indonesia, where ongoing territorial conflicts in the South China Sea are a major issue.

Philippine Secretary of Communications Ricky Carandang welcomed the news that the United States will station 2,500 military personnel in its Australia's Northern Territory over the next few years.

“If you are asking me in general how I view the increased engagement of the U.S. in Australia and the region, we view the presence of the Americans here, the renewed engagement of the U.S. here as ultimately a stabilizing force,” Carandang said.

The Philippines has long supported an increased U.S. military presence to counterbalance China's growing military strength and increasing confrontations in disputed territory of the South China Sea.

China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei hold conflicting territorial claims on the region, which is strategic to world shipping and believed to hold huge oil and gas reserves.

ASEAN Chairman and Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said Indonesia does not want to see Southeast Asia be subject to a damaging competition between the big countries, adding that idealism will only get them so far.

Natalegawa also said he would like to develop a military code of conduct, in line with ASEAN’s Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, or TAC, which calls for mutual respect and the non-interference in the internal affairs of other members.

“For example it will involve the renunciation of the use of force the primacy of peaceful settlements of disputes, precisely the kind of TAC-like kind of norms that have been governing relations among ASEAN.”

Hariyadi Wirawan, a professor of international relations at the University of Indonesia, says the news could lead to increased tension between the United States and China at the East Asia Summit and could hamper efforts by ASEAN leaders to craft a code of conduct with China to peacefully resolve disputes.

“The whole idea of creating this new arrangement of security is in itself, can be seen also as a provocation to China and will expect a kind of harsh response from China, from Beijing,” Wirawan said.

Chinese officials Wednesday questioned whether the troop deployments are in the best interests of the countries in the region. In Beijing Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin gave a more measured response when asked about the U.S.-Australia military ties.

In regards to the relationships developed between other nations, China does not interfere, he said.

But he added China hopes that other countries in developing relations between each other take into consideration other countries, regional interests and the region's peace and stability.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2011/11/mil-111117-voa05.htm

Russian Patriot, no body down under even questioned why 2500 marines are being relocated to Darwin after being kicked out of Okinawa. People down here are so fukking politically dumb its beyond belief!

No one knows shit, and the truth be told, whatever the U.S. is doing must be right, is the mentality of the majority.

China is no threat to Australia! Its our best trading partner, and the biggest buyer of our minerals & metals.

The only country which is happy about this is probably the usual brainwashed and broke ass Philippines, and Japan for getting rid of these parasites from Okinawa. Japan still has to get rid off a whole lot more of these 'marines'. Too bad Guam is too small, or else Japan wants these guys out now!

Australia will do everything, and anything the U.S. tells it to. Its no longer a secret.

Very true.

It is a common opinion amongst the right wingers here in NZ... America saved us in WWII and what is good for the US is good for us.

Of course they didn't actually save "us"... they didn't actually join the conflict till Japan actually attacked them directly at Pearl Harbour and Germany declared war on them.

It is a bit like a bully going around a room of nerds bullying and abusing them till finally they pick on a psycho nerd who pulls a gun and shoots them dead.
We might have benefited from that nerds actions and we have to be nice to them cause they still have that pistol, but at the end of the day they didn't intervene to save us... they waited until it became their problem too and did what they did to help themselves.

Sounds ungrateful I know, but every country was the same... war is incredibly destructive... few jump in for the fun of it.

Ironically it is NZ and Australia and other commonwealth countries that have jumped into Britains wars and then Americas wars that qualify as us doing stuff for them that they rarely give us credit for. In the US Vietnam is a war first and a country second. You don't hear about the Aussies that died or the Kiwis that died in that American war.

BTW 2,500 more rednecks in OZ... not much change there...

I should also mention that most of the Americans I have met personally were warm and friendly people... it is their government and foreign policy and their attitude to the Russians and Chinese and pretty much everyone else I have a problem with.

This stupid and retarded act by the Aussie Government without the consent of its dumb population will have an economic impact. It will be firm and almost automatic. The day China stops buying our Iron ore and other minerals like coal, Australia will rapidly descend into being a second world country it always was. Then you will see Julia Gillard rush off to China to give the small dick Chinese rapid blow jobs ........dumb bitch.:

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China_Business/MK22Cb01.html

I agree... so many are keen to demonise the Chinese, yet their policies clearly show they like money just like anyone else.

Trading with China will certainly make China stronger, but the Chinese people will get a glimpse of what life in a western country is like and demand more rights and choices, which will likely lead to a more liberal and open China.

The alternative is that they clamp down and show their teeth which will either crush the rising people, or will trigger another civil war.

Truth be told if China stops growing and becomes isolationist there are plenty of other countries the west can pour investment in to and create another production centre with cheap labour and no labour laws.

India, Brazil, South Africa... in fact there are several countries in Africa that offer low wages and would be grateful enough that Sony or Reebok has built a factory there that they will ignore the pollution and poor working conditions.

Australia Seeks Input on US Navy Triton UAS

VICTORIA, Australia — A senior defense procurement official said Australia is looking to enter into an agreement with the US Navy in order to influence future development of the Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton maritime unmanned aerial system.

In 2014, the coalition government of Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced that it would acquire up to seven MQ-4C air vehicles for the Royal Australian Air Force, with the exact number of platforms and timing to be informed by a coming defense white paper and Defence Capability Plan, due to be released in the middle of this year.

For full coverage of the 2015 Australian International Air Show, visit the Defense News Avalon Show Daily.

Australia had been a cooperative partner in the design and development phase of the Triton between 2006 and 2009, but this agreement lapsed. A decision on the formal purchase of the MQ-4C is expected in 2016.

Group Capt. Guy Adams, director of unmanned aerial systems for the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO), Australia's military procurement agency, said that experience gained through ongoing cooperation with the US Navy on the Boeing P-8A Poseidon program has driven a similar requirement for Triton.

"The RAAF will buy the integrated functional level capability level four Triton, which will be the US Navy standard production version at that time and we are looking at entering into a co-operative development program with the US Navy, so Australia may have the ability to influence the future design and development of the program as it develops," Adams said at the Australian International Airshow at the Avalon Airport.

"We would try to do that; [what] we've seen out of the P-8A program certainly indicates it is a worthwhile activity."

The US Air Force flew an RQ-4B Global Hawk into Avalon immediately before the start of the show, marking the first time the unmanned platform had been flown into a civilian airport in Australia.

"This is the first time that a Global Hawk has flown into an international air show," said Ian Irving, chief executive for Northrop Grumman Australia. "This really speaks to the maturity and reliability of the system. As the Royal Australian Air Force seeks to procure the MQ-4C Triton UAS, a variant based on Global Hawk, they will be able to use the system's capabilities to transform the way they conduct maritime surveillance missions."

Boeing Gets $1.5Bln Contract With Australia, US

Poseidon aircraft have anti-submarine, anti-surface warfare and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Boeing will provide 13 Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft to Australia and the United States under a $1.49 billion contract, the company announced in a press release on Friday.

"The order includes nine aircraft for the US Navy and four Poseidon aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), a long-time partner to the US Navy on P-8A development,” the press release said.

Poseidon aircraft have anti-submarine, anti-surface warfare and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

Production of the first plane for RAAF will begin later this year with the delivery scheduled for 2016. Boeing said it will also provide Australia with a complete training system for the planes.

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/military/20150828/1026317052.html#ixzz3kCfp4Kxg

"SOME 300 Australian Defence Force members were formally farewelled in Brisbane yesterday ahead of their departure for Iraq under Operation Okra. The Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binksin, AC, the Chief of the Australian Army, Lieutenant General Angus Campbell, DSC, AM, the Commander of the Army's 1st Division, Major General Stuart Smith, AO, DSC; and Federal Member for Ryan Jane Prentice MP, joined families and friends of the ADF members at the farewell parade.

The second rotation of the ADF's Building Partner Capacity contingent, known as Task Group Taji 2, is a combined force of Australian and New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel. Air Chief Marshal Binskin said the second rotation of Task Group Taji would carry on the important work of the ADF members currently serving in Iraq. "Our Building Partner Capacity mission is critical to increasing capability across Iraq's security forces and enabling them to take the fight to Daesh. "Those Iraqis who have completed Coalition-led training programs perform at a higher standard than their peers demonstrating greater skill, confidence and resilience on the battlefield. "I know the men and women of Task Group Taji 2 will continue to build on the outstanding work of their predecessors in the region," he said. Lieutenant General Campbell expressed his well wishes for the deploying contingent. "The soldiers of Task Group Taji 2 will partner closely with Iraqi Security Forces and I am confident they will impart their professionalism, knowledge and skills; underpinned always by our values of courage, initiative, respect and teamwork," he said. "We wish them all the best with their mission, and importantly, a safe return to family and friends." The Commander of 7th Brigade, Brigadier Adam Findlay, AM, whose troops make up the majority of the departing force, thanked the families and friends of the deploying personnel for their support. "This parade is not only about the soldiers. This parade recognises the contribution and support of the families of our soldiers and the broader Brisbane community," Brigadier Findlay said. "We have spent the last few months conducting training focused on replicating the conditions the troops may face in Iraq. Our soldiers are ready and well prepared for any challenge this deployment may bring."

Commander of Task Group Taji 2, Colonel Gavin Keating, said the aim was to help to empower the Iraqis to shape their own destiny. "Building Partner Capacity is all about training the Iraqi Security Forces so they can defeat Daesh and achieve peace and stability," he said. "We are very fortunate to be able to build on the excellent work completed by Task Group Taji 1 and are looking forward to working with our NZDF partners." Task Group Taji 2 will comprise a headquarters element, training team, force protection and support elements. Operation Okra is the ADF's contribution to the international effort to combat the Daesh terrorist threat in Iraq."

Source: http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/second-rotation-soldiers-iraq-depart-australia/2826535/

[url=http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/173117/bae-completes-upgrade-of-sixth-anzac_class-frigate.html]BAE Systems Delivers Significant Upgrade to ANZAC Frigate





BAE Systems Australia has undocked the sixth ANZAC Class frigate of the eight vessel Anti-Ship Missile Defence (ASMD) program demonstrating an important maritime industry capability that has been developed at the facility.

After successfully program managing 600,000 hours of complex systems integration and engineering work on the hard stand at the Henderson facility, HMAS Parramatta will now begin the Test and Trials phase of the project.

Ship seven, HMAS Toowoomba is mid-way through her upgrade and HMAS Stuart will be docked next month so that work can begin on the final ship.

Under the ASMD program, each ship’s combat management system is being upgraded and a new infrared search and track system is being introduced, together with a new dual navigation radar. At the same time as each ship is receiving its ASMD upgrade, a number of other significant engineering and structural changes that are unique to each vessel are also being made. These include enclosing the quarter deck, galley refurbishment and modifications to accommodate combat helicopters.

Across the ASMD program around 30 local and national subcontractors and more than 100 Australian suppliers are involved in the ASMD program, demonstrating BAE Systems’ commitment to enhancing the Small to Medium Enterprises within Australia that further strengthen Australian Defence Capability.

BAE Systems Australia Chief Executive, Glynn Phillips said:

“The work we’re doing at Henderson demonstrates the quality of our engineering, program management and builds on the flexibility of Australian industry capability that is only possible with an experienced Australian maritime defence provider. Our highly skilled workforce is at the core of our capability, ensuring that the project achieves the quality, cost and schedule milestones despite the enormous complexity of such work. Our team, together with our ANZAC Alliance partners, is very proud to support the Royal Australian Navy and its efforts by successfully implementing a world leading defence capability.”

The project is being undertaken through the Anzac Ship Integrated Material Support Program Alliance comprising BAE Systems, Saab Systems and the Defence Department’s Capability and Sustainment Acquisition Group. The size and scale of the project is considerable.

Much of the equipment and operating systems are removed from each ship which is then rebuilt in a program that has taken several years and which is on schedule and on budget.

Australia will acquire 200 new American anti-ship missiles AGM-158C LRASM

On February 7, 2020, the US Department of Defense Agency for Defense Cooperation (DSCA) sent a notification to the US Congress about the planned upcoming sale of Australia's 200 new American long-range US anti-ship missiles through the American program of intergovernmental foreign military sales (FMS). Lockheed Martin AGM-158C LRASM (Long-Range Anti-Ship Missiles). This shipment is approved by the US Department of State. The total cost of the proposed delivery will be $ 990 million, including 11 ATM-158C telemetric missiles in inert equipment, as well as various related equipment.

https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3928031.html

America holds itself to a different set of rules from everyone else don't you know...

Australia will purchase Boeing AN-64E Apache combat helicopters

On January 15, 2021, the Australian Ministry of Defense announced the selection of the American Boeing AN-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopter in a tender to replace Airbus Helicopters Tiger ARH reconnaissance and attack helicopters in the Australian Army Aviation. The deliveries of the AN-64E helicopters should begin in 2025. Combat helicopter Boeing AN-64E Apache Guardian (c) Boeing

According to Australian media, Australia is expected to purchase 29 AN-64E helicopters under a program totaling AUD 4.5 billion (US $ 3.46 billion).

Recall that Australia purchased 22 Airbus Helicopters Tiger ARH (Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter) under a 2001 contract, the Australian Army Aviation received these helicopters from 2004 to 2010. The Tiger ARH helicopter from the very beginning drew criticism from the Australian military due to its low technical reliability and level of combat readiness, high cost of operation, as well as insufficient combat capabilities, especially in the communication and control system (for example, the lack of modern data transmission equipment, for example Link 16). Already in 2016, the Australian government announced plans to replaceTiger ARH for a new attack helicopter in the period 2025-2029, and a corresponding tender was announced in 2019 for the Land 4503 program. In addition to Boeing with the AN-64E Apache Guardian proposal, the consortium Bell and BAE Systems Australia took part in the tender with the Bell proposal AH-1Z Viper with assembly in Australia, as well as the Airbus group with a proposal for a radical modernization of the Australian Tiger ARH cash. In fact, apparently, the tender was a formality and the choice of the AN-64E was predetermined from the very beginning.

In particular, it is reported that the cost of a flight hour of Australian Tiger ARHs is from 27 to 34 thousand Australian dollars, and the cost of an AN-64E flight hour is supposedly only 10567 Australian dollars.

https://bmpd.livejournal.com/4237948.html

The Apache is a good helo, but had a real reputation for being a hangar queen... very support intensive.

During Desert Storm they got the readiness of the aircraft to very very good levels... but they did it by tripling the resources and money spent on support to give it that high readiness.

When India chose the Apache over a Russian helicopter I was not surprised because the Apache is a mature battle tested system, while at the time the Havoc and Hokum were not battle tested mature platforms.

Ironically these days I would say the Mi-28NM would be very competitive against the Apache because it was cheap to maintain and operate, but in an Australian competition it wont get any consideration at all, but that is their loss.

Wonder what they are going to do with those Tigrs... New Zealand got burned buying European helicopters too with the transports we bought being expensive and not reliable...

Australia wants M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks

May 1st, 22:34
On April 29, 2021, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) of the US Department of Defense sent a notice to the US Congress of the planned upcoming sale to Australia at the request of the Australian government through the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program of intergovernmental foreign military sales 160 М1А1 tank hulls Abrams from the storage of the US Department of Defense and their subsequent conversion into 75 M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks, 29 M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicles (ABV) armored engineering vehicles and 18 M1074 Joint Assault Bridges (JAB) armored bridges.

https://bmpd.livejournal.com/4300982.html

George1 wrote:Australia wants M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks

May 1st, 22:34
On April 29, 2021, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) of the US Department of Defense sent a notice to the US Congress of the planned upcoming sale to Australia at the request of the Australian government through the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program of intergovernmental foreign military sales 160 М1А1 tank hulls Abrams from the storage of the US Department of Defense and their subsequent conversion into 75 M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks, 29 M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicles (ABV) armored engineering vehicles and 18 M1074 Joint Assault Bridges (JAB) armored bridges.

https://bmpd.livejournal.com/4300982.html

Is this for a land invasion of China? I can't fathom why the Australians would need heavy tanks.

lancelot wrote:...Is this for a land invasion of China? I can't fathom why the Australians would need heavy tanks.

At least they fit the soil type down there

It is the package deal.... if they can get you to buy C-17s then you start to wonder what the heck you are going to do with them... so of course they say you can carry heavy tanks in them... to which they will reply that they don't have any heavy tanks....

The silly thing of course is that no one flys MBTs except in tiny numbers because a C-17 flying carrying one Abrams at a time is really expensive, and carrying them one at a time it does not often end up that much faster... the first ones get there quick but what are you going to do with a couple of tanks on their own?

Being miles away from any likely combat zone Australia is in the same position as we are (NZ)... it would make sense to have Boomerang based tanks and vehicles because we mostly do peacekeeping stuff where wheels offer good mobility and don't destroy road networks and are also cheap to operate...

We had troops in Afghanistan but we didn't send our vehicles because it is a land locked country...

Australia to purchase nuclear submarines (SSN) from USA

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-15/allied-naval-united-states-biden-australia-nuclear-submarines/100465628

Sujoy wrote:Australia to purchase nuclear submarines (SSN) from USA

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-15/allied-naval-united-states-biden-australia-nuclear-submarines/100465628

USA selling nuke subs to anyone would be paradigm shift

I'll believe it when I see it