The quick answer, I suspect, is Kanimbla and Manoora.

By most (public) accounts, it cost the RAN as much to refit and refurbish those two ships as it would have to buy two new builds. So for the same cost of a ship that’s new, built to your requirements, and provides a level of systems commonality with other ships in the fleet, you end up with a ship that is compromised by being built to someone else’s specifications, and built with 20 year old technology in mind.

As Largs Bay is only 5 years old, it avoided a lot of these issues.

Ok, fair enough, but that still doesn’t explain the actual decision to provide a double hull for HMAS Success (OR 304) during refit. She’s older than Ft George and while built in Australia she’s a French design. Moreover, building new isn’t a guarantee:

During construction the contract had renegotiated, in June 1983 the acceptance date was extended by three years and the project cost increased to $187.3 million. The cost and time overruns was primarily due to protracted dispute between the Commonwealth and the builder over the drawings and specifications received from France, with evidence that the Department of Defence underestimated the extent of the differences between the original Australian building specifications and those supplied. Additional factors in the time and cost increases were a lack of tradesmen skilled in naval construction, overly bureaucratic management, and low labour productivity. The total project cost was estimated at $197.41 million; the dramatic increase in cost prevented the construction of a planned second ship.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_Success_(OR_304)

Would the RANs future needs not be better fulfilled by looking to acquire 3 new AOR type ships in 5-10 years time so as to standardise and expand capabilities while achieving economies in training spares etc…. what is being suggested is to operate 2-3 different ships of different classes which doesnt make much sense to me…. but i can see a requirement in the future for more AOR especially in the power projection role in combination with a LHD and AWD.

But not that there would be sense in purchasing the ft george.

I.e. something along the lines of the JSS (Joint Support Ship) being procured by the Dutch navy and considered by Canadian navy?

I still don’t see why Ft George wouldn’t offer considerable advantages over Durance, given there is already a demonstrated willingness on the part of the RAN to refit the older single hull AOR with double hull.

considering this is more than likely a reprissal against the US attack, they damn well should provide replacements! 😡

You’re forgetting, these planes were allready in part (1/3 to 1/4) paid for by US military aid money.

On November 16, 2004 the US Administration notified Congress that Pakistan was to receive a $1.2 billion arms package from the United States, including the supply of eight Lockheed P-3 Orions which are currently in the AMARC inventory.
…
If all the P-3 Orion options are taken up they will form the bulk of the package with an estimated value of $970 million.

http://www.amarcexperience.com/AMARCArticlep3OrionPakistan.asp
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d4dc494c-38c3-11d9-bc76-00000e2511c8.html#axzz1N9hHYtdq

Missing the deadline by about seven weeks, the US Congress late on Saturday gave final approval to a $388bn budget that contains massive military aid programmes for Pakistan and Afghanistan, both key US allies in the war on terror. WASHINGTON: Missing the deadline by about seven weeks, the US Congress late on Saturday gave final approval to a $388bn budget that contains massive military aid programmes for Pakistan and Afghanistan, both key US allies in the war on terror.

Reflecting new US strategic priorities, the bill for the first time contains $300m in military assistance for Pakistan designed to bolster capabilities of the country’s armed forces that help the United States hunt down suspected Al Qaeda members along the Afghan-Pakistani border.
The programme is seen as a reward to Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, who is risking domestic tensions by siding with the administration of President George W Bush in its worldwide campaign against Islamic militants.
The administration has recently notified Congress that it planned to provide a possible $1.3bn arms package for Pakistan in the future, including eight P-3C Orion planes to beef up surveillance of its coasts and borders to stop the movement of terrorists and drug smugglers.

http://archive.thepeninsulaqatar.com/component/content/article/344-americas-archive/46583.html

But isn’t Fort George single hulled? http://navy-matters.beedall.com/mars.htm Wouldn’t it also need to be doubled hulled to if it was to be used into the future?

Yes, just like the Durance type ship, which is slated for refit to double hull (so that’s not really something new to be decide on). Ft George could support/service the helicopters for Largs Bay … without imposing on the new LHDs (since we’re talking about resupplying at sea, each of these has a single RAS station on starboard, at the end of the island structure, by the way).

Indeed, but an ugly out of proportioned ship is exactly that and sometimes the description of being beautiful in some kind of way because it’s ugly does not fit for me here.

CGN-9 USS Long Beach is another classic example.

Bomberboy

Mmm, I think I find the conversions of WW2 cruisers into guided missile cruisers uglier.

I can’t see a need for the ft george at the moment…. unless we decided a 20 year old ship would be the way to increase our AOR capabilities…

Well, HMAS Sirius is primarily an oiler, not a combat stores ship. She started life as Delos at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in South Korea. She was launched on 12 April 2004, and was purchased by the Australian Government on 16 June 2004, following completion, and commissioned 16 September 2006. She is expected to remain in service for approximately 15 years. Displacing 45,605 tons full load, she can carry a flexible fuel load with a total cargo capacity of 36,488 tonnes of F76 and F44 in 10 tanks (typically 15% aviation fuel). Cargo Stores in the amount of 240 tonnes in twelve 20 foot container positions on a new forward deck (all powered to allow for reefers). She has stansfer points for fuel, water and stores. Flight deck for Seaking or Merlin sized helicopter.

HMAS Success is a Durance class multi-product replenishment oiler. She was commissioned 23 April 1986 (= 25 years old) and is being converted: installation of a double hull to meet International Maritime Organisation standards. In French service, the ships are dubbed Bâtiment de commandement et ravitailleur (BCR, “command and replenishment ship”)
The 18,000 ton Durance Class oilers support transfers of fuel, ammunition, food and stores on move. The vessels can additionally board general staff and monitor naval operations. They are equipped with the replenishment at sea (RAS) system. These ships simultaneously use RAS and vertical replenishment (VERTREP) methods for transfers. The ship can also carry boats and landing craft for troop transfers during emergency conditions. The multi-product replenishment oilers can carry around 9,600 tons of liquids (8,220 ship fuel, 249t of fresh water, 1,131t of aviation fuel) and some 400 tons solid stores (183t of provisions, 170t of munitions, 45t spares). Aft helo deck for large helicopters (e.g. Super Frelon) and hangar for 1 light helicopter. In Canadian service works with 3 CH-124 Sea King helicopters

Fort George is was laid down 9 March 1989, launched 1 March 1991 and entered into service 16 July 1993. She is 18 years old and wit 36,580 tons fully loaded twice the displacement of HMAS Success and imho with better self defence capability. Fort Victoria class ships combine the functions of a fleet support tanker and a stores support ship. The ships have the capacity to carry a cargo of up to 6,250m³ (metric tons) of solids stores plus 12,500 m³ (metric tons) of liquids. Expansive flight deck (2 deck spots), supported by hangars for three Sea King or Merlin-sized helicopters, can handle five total.

That’s a lot more solid stores than either Sirius or Success can carry, plus an interesting helicopter support capability.

You suppose AUstralia will also swoop up RFA Ft. George?

And risk getting sunk by a torp? lol

Nah that carrier will never get into the deep water side of the island where there is no land based air support to be called upon.

The Taiwan strait is just 130-180km wide. The main island of the group is 394 km (245 mi) long and 144 kilometres (89 mi) wide. So, that makes for a scenario of 180+145+180= some 500km+ off shore for a carrier to operate (i.e. a 1000km round trip, plus loiter time).

PRC aircraft combat radius:
J-11: 3,530 km (2,070 mi)
SU-27: 3,530 km (2,070 mi) at altitude; (1,340 km / 800 mi at sea level)
Su-30 MKK: 3,000 km (1,600 nmi, 1,900 mi)
J-10: 1600 km with in-flight refueling
J-8 : 11,000m(36,080ft) with 5 min Combat : 540 NM(1000km) (M0.8 at 10,000m(32,800ft), incl 5 min combat (Air to ground) : 486 NM(900km))
JF-17 : 1,352 km (840 mi), Ferry range: 3,480 km (1,880 NM = 2,160 mi)
JH-7 : 1,759 km (890 nm, 1,093 mi), Ferry range: 3,700 km (1,970 nm, 2,299 mi)

Taiwan AF will be busy fighting off landbased avaiation. They got just 2 usefull subs (Dutch-built boats) i.e. you’re talking about a US sub….