Downunderblue

@mazzaboz I assume the Hobart's will be replaced by an AA Hunter with 96 cells. The RN would benefit from adopting the same model to replace their Type 45's rather than designing a new hull in the Type 83.

Are both navies going to develop new Destroyers in a timely manner or will the Type 45s and Hobart Class retire without replacements in 10 years time? Because that program should already be underway...

The RN has 11 escorts and Australia has 10? It'll be interesting and depressing to track these two 'fleets' for the next decade.

@mazzaboz Depends on whether you are judging Britian on the past, or the present or future. The RN is just a microcosm to the nation, but don't judge them from the past. The question is where they go as a nation into the future. I hope livelihoods improve across the board, nation and RN.

Giving the RAN of 2040, 20 escorts and the RN 19, of which 5 lack sonar. It's not enough. Especially for the RN.

@AndrewBGreene I don't see the story here? Isn't that just common sense considering the circumstances and consistent with the legality of the situation?

Exclusive: Australian naval personnel serving on board US submarines have been instructed to comply with all “lawful and reasonable directions” from their American commanders despite concerns about military operations launched by the Trump administration thenightly.com.au/politics/austr…

@DefenceConnect I noticed ere were four undisclosed recommendations, likely classified. I assume this is where the reputational damage is contained.

Australian independent politician Andrew Gee was quick to point out that the document ‘feels like governments are basically exonerating themselves from any blame or wrongdoing.’ bit.ly/4cYvWiP

@ChrisHeHim1 This is an example of why our politics is so divisive and ugly. Go the high road, always, and think before you speak. There is no need to lower yourself to others, or get personal. Keep it civil or you discredit yourself or the ppl who try to associate with you.

I guess Gina straps one on when she's fucking her little bitch Hanson.

@simongerman600 @WorldInMaps I thought PJK our then PM said we were "in the ar$e end of the world". Is that in the Western Sphere (???) or more the Western Cheek?

Does anyone in the dark blue nations think they don't below to the "Western Sphere". The term is meant culturally not geographically obviously... HT @worldinmaps

@moon2112 @simongerman600 @WorldInMaps Maybe more a Vassel, or more frankly a deputy deputy sheriff for the SW Pacific.

@simongerman600 @WorldInMaps Well, we definitely don’t belong under Australia

@sydney_ev There is a major El Nino currently developing in the Eastern Pacific, highest since 71 I believe, so expect the low rainfall to continue across the SE of AU.

Our total rainfall for April was just 0.3 mm. All from a few nights of dew. Not a single drop of rain. Average is usually about 75mm for the month.

@HunterStires @sentdefender You're clutching for a logical argument here. Whats the issue building the first set of hulls quickly and cheaply OS then obtaining expensive and overrun hulls at a local yard with tech transfer etc. That's a win win but you seem to be set in your thinking not to see it.

Do you really think the PLARF would restrain itself from hitting a ship under construction—when it’s defenseless? Ships ordered from Japan and Korea in war would be destroyed on the assembly pad, at the fitting out pier, or as soon as they put to sea. Regardless, no ships will be delivered to the USN from those yards during wartime.

The Pentagon is considering outsourcing warship design and building to Korea and Japan with a proposed $1.85 billion feasibility study into the project within the proposed budget for 2027, with the study to look at the feasibility of adopting or co-producing advanced hulls such as Japan’s Mogami-class and Korea’s Daegu-class frigates to supplement the U.S. Navy, according to USNI News.

@HunterStires @sentdefender Read the map? Seriously? If you're worried re an incomplete hull being hit by the PLARF it's not really relevant because it isn't yet a ship! I think the threat will be more to Indopacom in the Marianas & Japan, not a modualised section of a hull. Read a map? Read/think more.

@Downunderblue @sentdefender Read the map—within reach of thousands of short range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, one way attack drones, and combat aircraft, with the PLA able to deliver 2000 munitions per day.

@WalkerMarcus @JoeHockey It's quite clever, both in origin and outcome. Well delivered too and right up his alley.

This is the single most genius diplomatic gesture I have ever seen.

@HunterStires @sentdefender Putting production "within reach" of what? Some massive Goliath that will swipe them away like flies? That is overly dramatic. Yes you want FI but you can have that whilst buying 1st set of hulls OS. Just get the hulls in the water as expediently and cheaply as possible.

The problem is that outsourcing warships abroad kills the incentive for Korean and Japanese world class shipbuilders to invest in building or modernizing shipyards here in America, which is what we need to happen if we want to actually fix our shipbuilding problems and demonstrate that we can sustain and win a long war. Putting our production within reach of our adversaries’ most plentiful and producible classes of weaponry is tantamount to spending billions of dollars on burning piles of scrap metal.

@JacobsBen Why the delay with the B sample and the ban? It's all gone very quiet where his immediate suspension may be the same period as the eventual ban? Where did the transparency and due process/ fairness go in this proceeding?

🗣️ Sergei Palkin tells me Shakhtar are currently set to lose all €30m in bonuses if Mykhailo Mudryk doesn't play for Chelsea again. Mudryk's doping charge, which remains highly confidential, is ongoing. "We have €30 million of bonuses in his contract. If he's not playing, or Chelsea aren't reaching results, we are losing €30m. That's a big financial impact for us. "Everybody believes this story will finish as soon as possible with a positive result and Mudryk will return to playing. Otherwise, we will be in a position to lose €30m. "I know Mudryk as a player and a person. I believe he will return and start playing again... Everybody is waiting for the court's decision, and we don't have any information about when this will take place and when the final decision will be issued."

@AlexLuck9 Re the original Mogami, they are very light on and vulnerable unless under air cover close to Japan. That's the issue with an evolving threat getting worse by the month.

There are some indications JMSDF is not quite satisfied with the Mogami design. Partially because the security environment keeps deteriorating, while funding improves. But partially also because some of Mogamis features, notably the mine warfare aspect may not meet expectations.

JMSDF as part of their naval reorganisation assigns Mogami class FFG to "patrol and defence units", together with the Hayabusa class PGs. A notable step, emphasising their new focus on lower intensity, high presence tasking, soon together with new OPVs. navalnews.com/naval-news/202…

@AlexLuck9 Beggars can't be choosers from a RAN perspective once the Huons are retired. Something scratch is better than nothing.

@Dr_M_Davis If GSC/ USAF modified the B-21's avionics beyond the strategic payload into a strike profile, we could offer real deterrence in a range of mission sets, in addition to the loyal wingman qtrback role. The B-21's range & LO would scare any operational cmdr & hedge AUKUS (as Plan B)

On the 'B-21s and Australia' debate which is taking off again, I think a better investment would be to focus on increasing long-range strike through distributed networks of advanced uncrewed systems, rather than spending a lot of money to get a small number of very expensive and complex B-21s as a proverbial 'silver bullet' solution. The MQ-28A Ghost Bat is in its early years, but it opens the door for a lot of evolution into a range of different types of uncrewed semi-autonomous systems. One variant that could be developed might be a long-range, high payload, high performance strike system, to be acquired in significant numbers. So, something between where the Ghost Bat is now - a small collaborative combat aircraft - and a larger bomber like the B-21. The goal should be to keep unit and sustainment costs down in comparison to crewed platforms, so we can afford a significant number of Ghost Bats of varying types. Can we evolve Ghost Bat into something akin to an F-111 without a crew on board, and which can carry a range of advanced long-range strike weapons? And do so at comparatively less unit and sustainment cost versus a small number of B-21s? Combining this type of capability with investment into acquiring next-generation crewed air combat systems, for example, GCAP, possibly F/A-XX or even F-47 to replace the F/A-18F and E/A-18G from 2040 seems a better path to me. 🤔

@Dr_M_Davis "Can we evolve Ghost Bat into something akin to an F-111"? It's only ever successfully carried one AIM-120 and you want a bomb truck? For deterrence value we need range and I just can't see a Ghost Bat or similar evolving into a strategic bomber range or payload.

@USN_Submariner Hmmm. So production is dependant upon access to rare earth metals ... where have I heard that before ...

X sure has not perfected sharing articles after released 🫤 try this again. Here are some more details... x.com/USN_Submariner…

Columbia-class behemoths will adopt the Tullibee-Lipscomb method... vs every other US nuclear submarine

@Carlymurray123 Have a read of Marc Cucurella's interview whilst away on Spain duty and you won't be impressed.

My beautiful football club is dying on its arse and people are out here celebrating. I could never 😢💔

@AlexLuck9 @RickJoe_PLA Case in point. Gabbard says President, not intelligence community, determines imminent threats. politifact.com/article/2026/m…

@AlexLuck9 @RickJoe_PLA DNI Gabbard directly oversees, authorises, and releases the public unclassified version of the annual threat assessment. Does that affect the credibility of the document you refer?

"The real issue is where the money and where the materials are going." Which incidentally should have repeatedly clarified for the last several years how PLA remains incapable of mounting an invasion (with any reasonable odds of success) of Taiwan by 2027.foxnews.com/politics/us-in…