Australia to decommission Armidale-class patrol boats

[Pioneer]

The Armidale-class should never have been built in the first place IMO. The Fremantle-class patrol boats should have been replaced by a Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) as was appreciated by the RAN - period!

Regards
Pioneer


https://www.janes.com/defence-news/...ion-armidale-class-boat-after-14-year-service

 

[Grey Havoc]

The Fremantles were certainly better boats.

 

[GTX]

On a related note:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-17/faulty-chinese-aluminium-navy-boat-delays/100708910
What is frustrating to me (and has been for sometime) is that Australia has the world's second largest bauxite reserves (second only to Guinea) and is itself in the top 6 producers of aluminium metal and yet we are having to import metal especially for use on Defence products.

 

[GTX]

Also on related note:

https://www.defenceconnect.com.au/m...ss-offshore-patrol-vessel-launches-in-osborne

 

[Hood]

What is frustrating to me (and has been for sometime) is that Australia has the world's second largest bauxite reserves (second only to Guinea) and is itself in the top 6 producers of aluminium metal and yet we are having to import metal especially for use on Defence products.

One consolation is that the shiny Chinese Navy is probably using tons of the same crappy aluminium...

 

[robunos]

One consolation is that the shiny Chinese Navy is probably using tons of the same crappy aluminium...

Nah, they'll be using the Good Stuff, it's only the West that gets the rubbish 'Export' grade . . .

cheers,
Robin.

 

[Grey Havoc]

https://www.navyrecognition.com/ind...fth-arafura-class-offshore-patrol-vessel.html

 

[GTX]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-09/offshore-patrol-vessels-program-delay-costs-mount/101517060

 

[Pioneer]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-09/offshore-patrol-vessels-program-delay-costs-mount/101517060

Yes, disgusting and complicit in my opinion.

Regards
Pioneer

 

[GTX]

https://www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/luerssen-responds-to-arafura-opv-cuts