Risk Reduction and Design Study Called For Amphibious Ship Options
(Source: Australian Department of Defence; issued Aug. 9, 2004)
French shipbuilding group Armaris and Spanish shipbuilding group IZAR will be asked to participate in a funded risk reduction and design study for the Navy’s two new amphibious vessels, Defence Minister Robert Hill announced today.
Senator Hill said the study was a further step towards the selection of a new amphibious ship design to replace HMAS Tobruk and one of the Landing Platform Amphibious Ships.
The $2 billion project will equip the Australian Defence Force with two new amphibious ships capable of performing a range of tasks, including regional disaster relief, delivering humanitarian aid, support for peace operations, and assistance to policing or military operations.
“Defence has conducted a preliminary design assessment in consultation with the Australian shipbuilding industry which confirmed the basic designs of Armaris and IZAR broadly meet the ADF’s capability requirements for the new amphibious ships,” Senator Hill said.
“The study will assist Defence to further assess the suitability of the companies’ amphibious ship designs for the ADF’s capability requirements, including the capability, cost, schedule, technical risk and industry issues relating to the construction of amphibious ships in Australia.”
As part of the study, Armaris will be asked to provide detailed information relating to three variants of its Mistral design: the military off-the-shelf design which is currently in production; a modified design providing for increased troop capacity; and an option based on the original extended Mistral design.
IZAR will be asked to provide detailed information relating to its Strategic Projection Ship design.
The decision to conduct the risk reduction and design study is consistent with the Government’s implementation of the Kinnaird Review’s recommendation that increased planning and analysis be undertaken during the early stages of Defence projects.
Senator Hill said Defence was expected to issue invitations to contract to Armaris and IZAR for the conduct of the study by the end of the month, with the companies to respond to Defence’s request for information in December.
It is anticipated that the outcomes of the study will inform the selection of a preferred designer for the amphibious ships in the first half of next year.
By: GDL - 24th August 2004 at 12:46
Ja- If, the Amphibious ships are built and equipped with F-35B JSF’s. Who will fly them? (i.e. RAAF or RAN pilots) 😮
The Fleet Air Arm squadron will likely be reformed I think. Then again, they might train air force crews for sea Ops, and just deploy RAAF pilots and F-35Bs on board when required. To early to tell. The competition by the way, is far from decided.
By: Arabella-Cox - 24th August 2004 at 04:03
Here you go mate, this is has the full details in it
Discussion on SIA about the options
Ja- If, the Amphibious ships are built and equipped with F-35B JSF’s. Who will fly them? (i.e. RAAF or RAN pilots) 😮
By: Ja Worsley - 22nd August 2004 at 17:26
Here you go mate, this is has the full details in it
Discussion on SIA about the options
By: Arabella-Cox - 18th August 2004 at 04:39
It’s a well known conclussion down here that the Izar ship has won this comp and that this is just a formality, their ship is bigger and better suited to the needs that we intend to put them through.
What the government is really asking the Spanish is; if we buy this ship design and the F-100’s can we get a cheaper price? The Spanish are looking into it.
What information is available on the Izar design? 😎
By: GDL - 17th August 2004 at 14:11
A labour win this year will effectively sink the large LHD plan. (pun intended) 🙂
By: Mik - 17th August 2004 at 10:02
What will be the most intersting aspect of the LHD purchase is whether it actually goes ahead if the Labour win the next Federal election. Kim beazely has already said he prefers more smaller ships.
Another interesting apsect is whether the navy really believes it can sneek fixed wing carrier capabilty (even as token as these ships represent) on to the agenda or whether the thing is a beat up by opponents of the vessels.
By: Ja Worsley - 15th August 2004 at 16:48
It’s a well known conclussion down here that the Izar ship has won this comp and that this is just a formality, their ship is bigger and better suited to the needs that we intend to put them through.
What the government is really asking the Spanish is; if we buy this ship design and the F-100’s can we get a cheaper price? The Spanish are looking into it.
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August 12, 2004 at 10:52 pm