OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF NAVY LEAGUE OF AUSTRALIA
Published 1920 to 1932 then continuously from April 1938
75 Years of Publication.

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SEA 4000, Where to from here?*
By Dr Roger Thornhill

Dr Roger Thornhill examines the current needs of the RAN and what is currently available to the RAN's in its new destroyer project SEA 4000. When asked about SEA 4000, the air warfare destroyer project, at the White Paper media conference last December the CDF, ADM Chris Barry, said "I don't think anything I see available off-the-shelf today would meet our needs". With this in mind Dr Roger Thornhill examines what the RAN's needs are and what is currently available on the world air warfare destroyer market

Given the comments of the CDF where does this leave SEA 4000?
Senior members of the RAN have in the past publicly articulated what SEA 4000 should embody:
· 6,000 - 10,000 tonnes;
· Long range layered anti-air/missile weapon system;
· Phased array radar capability;
· Extensive C3 facilities;
· Aviation capable - preferably two medium sized helicopters with the ability to embark and support UAVs;
· Capability to apply long range precision fires to land targets - the class should come with a 127mm extended range gun as a minimum with an upgrade path to the new naval 155mm gun (the first steel of the new 155mm naval gun was recently cut in the US). Options should also exist for standoff weapons such as Tomahawk;
· Stealthy - the ability to mask and/or disperse all signatures;
· Growth path to TBMD (Theatre Ballistic Missile Defence);
· Excellent sea keeping - RAN experience in the Southern Ocean has revealed that its area of operation is potentially large and diverse, particularly given the 'inner arc' guidance of the White Paper;
· Commonality in weapons and systems to RAN and to a lessor extent USN;
· Link 16 with capability for higher Links;
· Growth path to CEC - Co-operative Engagement Capability will broaden the AWD's (Air Warfare Destroyer's) horizons (literally) by enabling over the horizon and non-line of sight anti-air engagements. CEC is also able to facilitate faster and more accurate TBMD engagements as well as the capability to see stealth aircraft through integrated AAW pictures;
· Minimum manning through automation - the RAN has had a minimum manning policy, thrust upon it through circumstance, for many years. The AWD should have manning levels significantly lower than the current FFG's 190;
· Long range;
· At least three ships fully fitted - the budget for the AWD is yet to be announced but pre-White Paper estimates put three AWDs, built in Australia, with parts, training and missiles for three years at $3 billion.

If nothing currently available is appropriate does the RAN aim for a modified-COTS solution or go down the time consuming and potentially risky path of specifically designed ships?

The Current Market The F-124 & LCF (Germany & the Netherlands)

While both of these ships come from different countries, the F-124 - Germany and the LCF - the Netherlands, their AAW suites are so similar that grouping them for the purposes of air warfare is appropriate.

Horizon (France & Italy)

The Horizon naval combatant was originally to be a joint venture between many of Europe's navies but fell through as none could agree on weapon and sensor packages.

Type 45 (UK)

The UK Type 42 DDG replacement has been designated the Type 45 Daring class destroyer. Like other European navies, the UK was to have been part of the Horizon project but withdrew to follow its own course.

F-100 (Spain & US)

The F-100 air warfare frigate is build by a consortium consisting of the Spanish state owned shipbuilder BAZAN and the US companies Lockheed Martin and Bath Iron Works.

'International frigate'

A much less publicised design to be offered to the RAN is the Gibbs & Cox 'International Frigate'.

Conclusion

As the CDF mentioned, none of the preceding ships meet the RAN's requirements, completely. However, to further complicate matters, the year of decision for SEA 4000 currently stands at 2003. Construction should start in 2005-6 and the first ship commissioned by 2013 meaning that what is available today will be at least 13 years old when entering service and potentially obsolete. SPY-1 will more than likely have been replaced by SPY-3. Another factor worth considering in the RAN's current AAW capability is the Standard SM-1MR, used on the FFGs, which is rapidly approaching its life of type. If a solution is not forthcoming in the near future, i.e. well before SEA 4000, then a very serious gap will emerge particularly since MELBOURNE and NEWCASTLE will remain in the fleet until 2020.