The US airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities continue to dominate defence coverage – and in terms of Washington politics everyone has to agree with Donald Trump that they were obliterated. In a future joint operation, Australia would be expected to sing from the same song sheet. Let’s not forget that he is continuing to support Russia – and that could have major implications for Australia. But the main theme is the TKMS bid for SEA 3000, the details of which have not come from the company because they would be in breach of Defence NDAs and people would be jailed as a consequence. However, there’s enough information around to believe they will offer a low risk solution based on the Saab 9LV CMS and a number of sensors well known to the RAN. At the same time it is possible that Japan has been misled, or at least misdirected – by the insistence of Defence and the government that speed to capability is ahead of everything else.

I’m only aware of Saab Sea Giraffe radars being deployed on RAN Canberra-class LHDs. Terma SCANTER radars are deployed on the majority of the RAN surface fleet. Thales radars are reportedly deployed on recent MEKO A200 European builds (Egypt) and refits (Greece).
My head is spinning at the state of defence in Australia. This week we have the Auditor General tabling adverse findings regarding the maintenance of the Canberra class ships, the Foreign Minister supposedly flying to Washington to save the precision missile assembly deal and the US abandoning the E7 Wedgetail procurement project.
Add to this the US AUKUS review, the confusion of SEA3000, Hahnwa’s on again off again bid for Austal Marine.
Australia’s strategic defence review looks like it is on tatters. Time for a new minister and an updated and simplified procurement plan.
Agree with all of that.
I’m eagerly awaiting the Auditor General’s report on the two AOR’s.
$700M that can’t currently leave port and there’s no timeline for when/if they will.
It is way past people losing their jobs.
It’s time for the people involved to do hard time.
Unfortunately, there is zero accountability when it comes to the mismanagement of Defence projects. Zero.