new warships to carry fighter jets

http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,12536565%255E911,00.html

New warships to carry fighter jets
By IAN McPHEDRAN in Canberra
14mar05

SECRET discussions have been held with shipbuilders about equipping two large new Australian warships with fighter planes.

The navy plans to buy two $800 million, 25,000-tonne warships by 2010.

A push is underway to give the vessels the capacity to carry eight or more so-called Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing (STOVL) fighters.

The aircraft would cost about $6 million more than the $70 million each for the conventional Joint Strike Fighters (JSF) being purchased for the Royal Australian Air Force.

The Federal Government wants to buy up to 100 of the next-generation fighters – which have not yet been built – in a $15 billion project.

According to industry sources, the final 20 of those JSF fighters would be able to be given a STOVL capability.

Such a move would allow the Royal Australian Navy to use a warship as an aircraft carrier for the first time since HMAS Melbourne was retired in June, 1982.

Two designs are being considered for the ship contract. They are the already-built Mistral Class from the French partnership of DCN-Armaris, and the BPE from Spain's navy shipbuilder, Navantia, which will be built in late 2008.

The Spanish ship will include a port-side "ski jump" flight deck to operate jet aircraft.

That option would also be made available to Australia.

It is understood the talks have focused on issues such as deck strength and the space needed for the fighters.

The Defence Department stressed there was no "existing" plan to equip the ships to carry short takeoff aircraft. However, The Advertiser has been told that preliminary discussions have already been held with at least one builder about the requirements needed to operate STOVL aircraft.

"There is a small group in navy who are pushing for some form of STOVL capability on the ships," a well-placed Defence source said. "They want to buy about 20 STOVL versions of the JSF to provide extended military reach."

The deadline for preliminary design documents to be lodged is tomorrow.

The Government has signed up for the development phase of the American-built new-generation JSF program, which includes a short takeoff version.

Currently the only vertical-landing war plane on the market is the British-designed Harrier jump jet.

The ships will carry amphibious craft, and their primary role will be to transport, equip and support an expeditionary force, including a battalion of troops.

In December last year, South Australian Premier Mike Rann shored up the state's bid for the $6 billion air warfare destroyer contract by signing a memorandum of understanding with West Australian Premier Geoff Gallop, relating to the amphibious craft construction.

Under the agreement, WA will not bid against SA for the air warfare destroyer contract while SA will not challenge WA for the contract to build amphibious craft capable of carrying troops and equipment. The amphibious contract is valued at between $1.5 and $2 billion.