Navy shake-up: Shipyards still left wondering

The Australian government has embarked on a new plan to more than double the size of the Australian navy fleet to 26 major surface warships. So what’s it mean for Cairns?

Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch has called for Defence Minister Richard Marles to commit to basing at least four offshore patrol vessels in the Far North after Defence cuts to the OPV program amid plans to build a bigger and more lethal navy.

The Arafura OPV project has been plagued by delays and questions over its suitability and armament, meaning the initial order for 12 vessels has been cut to just six in the latest plans from Defence.

It is understood Cairns was slated to receive four of these vessels to home base in HMAS Cairns within the next decade, but Mr Entsch said there was no indication yet if this was still the case.

The Arafura class offshore patrol vessel (OPV) NUSHIP Eyre has been launched at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia. Picture: Supplied

Mr Entsch called on the Defence Minister to commit to at least four OPVs being based out of Cairns.

“I would like to see the Minister commit to the four or even six for Cairns as well as the commitment to the hydrographic vessel,” Mr Entsch said.

Tropical Reef Shipyard business development manager Andrew Wagner said Cairns still remained a common sense choice for the type of vessel and its work.

“There is logic in having the OPVs here. The work that they will undertake will be out to the southwest Pacific Islands and that’s best served from here in Cairns, but we have no information on it,” he said.

On Tuesday the Australian Government announced its new plan to more than double the size of the Australian navy fleet to 26 major surface warships, following from an independent review into the navy’s surface combatant fleet.

Stakeholders in Cairns’ marine precinct are calling for more information after the future plans of Australia’s navy were revealed, saying there are questions that need to be answered as they look to prepare for a bigger and more lethal navy in our port.

Mr Wagner said Cairns’ maritime industry major players still had a lot of questions.

Tropical Reef Shipyard business development manager Andrew Wagner.

“We’ve got no real insight into what affects us,” Mr Wagner said.

“The problem with this is we are not really seeing how and what boats are going to be coming to RMC North East (Cairns).

Defence unveiled its review of the nation’s surface navy fleet on Tuesday morning. Photo: The Australian

“We haven’t received any information that supports us or any longevity for the companies in Cairns so we are no better off than we were a week ago.

“It’s exciting but it’s not going to pay the bills at this stage.”

Key to Cairns capitalising from a larger fleet will be the future decisions surrounding the six Arafura class offshore patrol vessels, and the newly announced 11 general purpose light frigates and six large optionally crewed (drone) surface vessels.

Australia's 'enhanced lethality' Navy. Image: The Australian

The first question is which design will be chosen for the 11 smaller so called Tier 2 warships.

The government has examined a range of options to acquire a fleet of corvettes or light patrol frigates between 3500 and 5000 tonnes from Spain, Germany, Britain, Japan and South Korea.

There is opportunity for Cairns with these vessels through their sustainment, and the possibility of them being based out of the region for projection into the southwest Pacific, but the maintenance infrastructure needs to be capable of servicing them.

“We’ve had a look at the weights at 3500 to 5900 tonne, so at 5000 for the common user facility being built we could be a bit light on, you’ll need a 6000 tonne lift to service some of those boats.” Mr Wagner said.

The Mogami-class frigate is a Japanese stealthy multi-mission frigate of the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force. Photo: Seapower

“Length-wise it sounds all good we could just be a bit light on for some of these light frigates once they are made, to have a margin on the ship lift would be good.”

Mr Wagner said that if Cairns could place itself to service these vessels it would be a massive opportunity.

“The opportunity for work in the long term is excellent, if we can lift them and do the maintenance it takes a bit of wharfage space, but it needs a bit of thought there on the infrastructure.”

Mr Wagner said they needed more certainty to plan and invest where needed.

“The light frigates, the Arafura class, and these new optionally manned craft can all be serviced here,” he said.

“We just need to know what sort of capabilities we need to develop, we need that forward knowledge from Defence to tell us what is and what isn’t and where they are intending to do it all, and what size the CUF needs to be.

“At the end of the day with 26 ships, you need to spread it around for the labour, you can use the capacity in those areas to get the work done.”

Spain will offer to build six heavily armed corvettes for Australia, as well as three more air warfare destroyers to boost firepower to help counter China. Pictured: Corvette Comandante Foscari of the Italian Navy.

Mr Entsch said the new optionally-crewed surface vessels could be based in Cairns.

“With the threat concerns in the Pacific it makes sense to have them in Cairns,” he said.

“We have the capacity and capability to have them and sustain them into the future.”

The NUSHIP Eyre, the second Arafura Class Offshore Patrol Vessel at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia. NCA NewsWire / Morgan Sette

Mr Entsch said we have to make sure that the CUF project was fully funded to make the most out of the new fleet.

“The project was funded at $300m but it may cost up to double that it has to be funded completely to the capacity needed.”

Mr Entsch called for more information.

“We need to know,” Mr Entsch said.

“We know where you are going to build them but where are you going to base and maintain them.”

In a response to questions regarding the basing plans for the Arafura OPV’s and the other new vessels a Defence spokesperson said; “There is no change to the Royal Australian Navy’s current basing arrangements.”

“In response to the Australian Government’s blueprint for the Enhanced Lethality Surface Combatant Fleet, Navy will assess its future basing arrangements and infrastructure needs to support the future force.

“Navy remains a long-term, committed community and industry partner in Cairns, which is a key maritime hub for Defence as an operational, sustainment, maintenance and logistics base, well positioned for access to the southwest Pacific.”

Originally published as Navy shake-up: Shipyards still left wondering