Eternal Patrol
Albert Allen died in NSW on Thursday, 14 June 2007. Know by a various names of Bert, "Bunts" or "Darby", Bert joined the Royal Navy in October 1939.

In 1942 Bert volunteered for submarines and after initial training joined HMS H43 as the Signalman TO in 1943 he left the boat to join the newly commissioned HMS Untiring (P59) for the next three years he called this boat his home.

In 1946 Bert was discharged from the Navy and eventually migrated out to Australia, he joined the Association in October 1985 and during his time in the NSW Branch, Bert served on its committee. (Peter Smith)

NSW member Lieutenant Cornelius Gray McCracken RN & RAN (Rtd) died some time during the week of 11 - 15 June. Known to his peers as Con who joined his first submarine HMS Trump in early 1948, then late 1948 he joined HMS Totem for a short stint before joining the brown area of reserve trot until mid 1949.

In mid 1949 Con was sent to HMS Alliance until January 1950 where he returned to HMS Dolphin for training until June 1950.  This was the last time that Con was involved in boats He left the Royal Navy and migrated to Australia where he joined the RAN he retired from the Navy as a Lieutenant SD (PR). He joined the Association in November 1990.

Les Thorpe. (RN CPO Coxn) of the SOCA Shropshire Branch has died, aged 90. Submarine Service: 1941-1965. Served in: SM4, Proteus Sunfish Spearhead Auriga Tiptoe Thermopylae.

Most popular polar fleece fabric in a most popular colour combination. A great buy at $30 plus postage

The Long Line Jacket has a micro fibre outer, micro fleece lining, creating a perfect warm wind block! Ideal for these cold winter days.   $60 pp.

Rug up for winter now.  All items sold with or without the Australian Submarines logo. Visit the Slops Van now Can be ordered with the logo of your choice, just ask for details.

Proper rugby weight fabric with denim collars. Very practical and fashionable rugby pullovers embroidered with the Submarines Australia logo $40 pp.

This morning on the way to work I Rear-ended a car at some lights whilst not really paying attention. Anyway the fella who was driving got out... And he was a dwarf!!!! He said "I'm not happy"........  I said "Well which one are you then”

Being "over the hill" is much better than being under it!

Raytheon Australia Hails Royal Australian Navy's Air Warfare Destroyer Design Selection
A design by Navantia, a Spanish leader in military ship building, has been selected by the Australian government as the ship design for the next-generation Royal Australian Navy's Air Warfare Destroyers.

As the Air Warfare Destroyer Mission Systems Integrator, Raytheon Australia, a subsidiary of Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN), will complete the "Australianization" of the combat system around the Aegis core. Specifically, Raytheon will integrate the non-Aegis elements of the combat system and conduct combat system trade studies; develop the design of the complete AWD combat system; develop complete ship and integrated support systems with the platform system designer and shipbuilder; and develop project management and systems engineering structures and deliver mission systems integration.

Raytheon Australia was selected for the Air Warfare Destroyer Alliance in April 2005. Ron Fisher, managing director of Raytheon Australia said: "The business of defense is vitally important, and this project will have a tremendous impact on the growth of skills and jobs. The Raytheon AWD team is expected to total around 230 employees. This includes 140 jobs in Adelaide and the remainder in other locations as part of the company's important Mission Systems Integration role. Our defence industry exists to serve the Australian Defence Force, and we look forward to delivering the Royal Australian Navy a capability in which all Australians can be proud."

Dan Smith, president of Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems and a member of the Air Warfare Destroyer Principals' Council, termed the Navantia announcement "a key milestone in advancing this important program." Smith added, "Together with the Defence Materiel Organisation, ASC and Navantia, Raytheon is proud to be a partner with this team in what will be the most advanced shipbuilding project in Australia's history."

Raytheon Australia is a wholly owned subsidiary of Raytheon Company. Raytheon Company, with 2006 sales of $20.3 billion, is a technology leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 73,000 people worldwide.

US Navy sub will be decommissioned
Following 23 years in the U.S. Navy, the USS Minneapolis-St. Paul will be decommissioned Friday at Naval Station Norfolk. The Los Angeles-class nuclear powered fast attack submarine has been deployed 12 times and has visited 26 different ports. The life of a sub is 25 years, unless it is refueled in a lengthy and expensive process.

It returned from its last deployment, where it visited France, Spain, England and Portugal - earlier this year.

Two sailors died during the deployment when they were swept overboard off the coast of England. Five total sailors were involved in the accident when the surfaced sub was leaving a port and performing routine duties on the topside of the boat. Rough waves knocked them overboard.

The commanding officer of the sub - Cmdr. Edwin Ruff - was relieved of command in January. A Navy investigation concluded that the commanding officer and executive officer should have better anticipated the danger posed by the rough seas.

The sub is 360-feet-long, displaces 6,900 tons of water and can travel at more than 25 knots. It's capable of deploying special forces, like Navy SEALs, and launching attacks on land from sea.

STOKER'S SUBMARINE Stoker's Submarine - the untold story of Australia's AE2 submarine, its captain, and how they achieved a mission impossible. On 25 April 1915, the day the Anzacs landed at Gallipoli, Lieutenant Commander Dacre Stoker set out as captain of the Australian submarine AE2 on a mission to navigate the Dardanelles Strait.  That Stoker managed to find a way through the narrow Dardanelles against unknown currents, mines and withering enemy fire has been described as ‘the finest feat in submarine history’. Stoker's achievement meant much in military terms, but even more emotionally in boosting the morale of the embattled Allied troops. Stoker's Submarine tells the story of a remarkable naval hero, who until now has been little celebrated. By Fred Brenchley and Elizabeth Brenchley - ISBN: 0732274427;   For visitors to the Chief's Log at a reduced price of only $20 (plus $3.50 postage), order now or place your order in the Slops Van.

Sonar survey to inspect sub wreck
A detailed sonar survey is to be carried out by the Nato Submarine Rescue System Intervention Remotely Operated Vehicle (NSRS IROV) as part of work to look at the wreck of the sunken Russian submarine B-159.

The submarine, which was known as K-159 before decommissioning, sank in 1993, more than 30 years after first being rolled out as a nuclear submarine under the old Soviet regime. K-159 was one of the vessels in the Northern Fleet, whose headquarters are in Murmansk.

In addition to the detailed sonar survey of the wreck, environmental sampling and removal of debris from around the wreck will take place, all under the request of the Russian Federation.

Recovering the submarine and disposing of the reactors on board safely are at the top of the priority list for the Russian Federation, as part of an international agreement designed to dispose of such material safely. The Salvage and Marine Operations unit will play an integral part in the process.

God must love stupid people; He made so many.

OK Boof, you can pee on the trees now, they now belong to a Pom.

Sunday, 17^th JUNE 2007

I have posted the photos taken at SUBCON in the Rogues Gallery.  Bob Wilson, Geoff Rositer and Pat Heffernan sent their contributions which are included. Boot Hatfield commented "Must be your camera . . . some of the photos are fuzzy !!!!!!!!!!!!! Or was it the operator?" Well Boot, it is a bit of both............. I dropped the camera and it is stuffed, I was just pissed.

I neglected to mention last week that at the AGM SA member William 'Bill' Hollas was awarded Life Membership of the Association, congratulations mate, you deserve it.

I have just read last week's Log and have come to the conclusion that I was still a bit 'tired' when I wrote it at the airport last Sunday.  I was enjoying my last Gin and Tonic before catching the flight when a tall blonde stranger accosted me, Norm Williams isn't it he enquired? Not sure if I had committed an indiscretion over the weekend and the long arm of the law was there to discuss it was a cause of some concern, but I sighed a breath of relief when he said, "You don't remember me do you, I am Ian Collins?" Ian was commissioning crew on Ovens with me.  Been a bloody long time and I was amazed that he remembered after such a long time. It urns out that Ian was not in Adelaide for SUBCON, he lives there and was not even aware that there was an Association Branch there.

My arrival home was met with mixed emotions, Boof started to cry and carry on as if I had been away for months, jumped onto my bed for a cuddle and play after which we left for a walk on the beach.  The mood changed considerably on our return, he ate dinner and the turned his back on me and ignored me for the rest of the evening. Does this sound familiar to you married lot out there? The cold has hit Perth today and Boof is still in bed as I write this Log entry.

I had the deep sewage connected before leaving for SUBCON and I will be spending most of today replacing broken pavers and finding a home for enough sand to create my own Bondi Beach. I think that they broke every third one and I am not looking forward to the job.  Knowing my handyman skills I will end up stuffing it up, the last time I laid pavers I ended up with a nice curved area that meandered through the back yard, a pity it was supposed to be straight.

I am way behind with posting items and photos sent to me over the past month or two, including some more for the ANZAC Day gallery. I will get around to these as time permits. Sorry, a bit busy on all fronts at the moment. Better get on with it, a lot to do today.

SUBCON 2007 - The Friendly Games.  South Australian President Fred Butcher 'hands over the weight' to ACT and Southern Regions President Andy Galley.

Around the Traps

SA Branch News
The Annual General Meeting of the Submarines Association Australia, SA Branch, will be held in the Port Adelaide Naval Association Sub Branch clubrooms (35 Quebec Street, Port Adelaide) on Sunday 24th June 2007, commencing at 1230 for a 1300 start. Partners are welcome, and please bring a plate of nibbles along to share.  If you are not a Member contact Dave Bryant on (08) 8348 7253 for details.

Ray Kemp asks: "I have just finished an Alaskan cruise and meet a friend of Bob Bobilack , Col Austin. Col is looking to get in touch with him. By the way having a great time touring Canada, Alaska and the USA. Have just driven down highway 101 though the giant redwoods, what a site." If anyone can put me in touch with Bob I will pass on the details.

Kate Gardiner, Mal (Steve) McQueen’s cousin, is after an email contact for Peter Johnston-Hall. She worked (and sailed in Friendship of Leeuwin) with Peter for many years at Stirling.  I had Peter's address but it must have changed.  Can you help, if so, let me know.

Dave 'Pee Wee' Petherick's daughter has accepted a two year extension to her contract with the radio station she works for in Oxford (UK) and has decided to sell her car (rather than let Dad drive it, he is not the best driver in Queensland). No it's not the Volvo, it's a 2006 Suzuki Vitara, black two door, all the gear with 15,000 kms on the clock. She bought it just before she went back to UK. If anyone is interested give Dave a call on (07) 5491 9767. No, it is a Suzuki, NOT a BMW, I am assured it is in near new condition and does not come with a spare fuel hose!

Ken Anderson writes "I'm an old surface skimmer who would have been proud to serve in the boats but we didn't have any in my day. For years I've been after a copy of the ABC TV series "The Perisher." Last time I asked someone, [perhaps you] thought there was a copy in the Association library but it couldn't be found. Given the way technology has advanced I wonder if any of your members has a copy which they could transfer to DVD for me. Perhaps you could put out the word and ask anyone who could help to e-mail me." If you have a copy of Perisher could you let me know, the submarine school copy went missing and still cannot be found. On the same subject, I was given three videos of the 75th Anniversary to put onto DVD, however, forgot who gave them to me. Please contact me if it is you.

WO 'Benny' Hill sent me the following link to the US Patents Office, it goes to prove that there are some strange inventors in the USofA. It also proves that Benny Hill should spend more time at work and less time on the net.  A more entertaining link was sent by Michael Stanley, a rendition of the Royal Navy doing Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody.

A father watched his young daughter playing in the garden. He smiled as he reflected on how sweet and pure his little girl was. Tears formed in his eyes as he thought about her seeing the wonders of nature through such innocent eyes. Suddenly she just stopped and stared at the ground. He went over to her to see what work of God had captured her attention. He noticed she was looking at two Daddy longlegs' mating. "Daddy, what are those two spiders doing?" she asked. "They're mating," her father replied. "What do you call the one on top?" she asked. "That's a Daddy Longlegs," her father answered. "So, the other one is a Mummy Longlegs?" the little girl asked. As his heart soared with the joy of such a cute and innocent question he replied "No dear. both of them are Daddy Longlegs." The little girl, looking a little puzzled, thought for a moment, then took her foot and stomped them flat. "Well, we're not having any of that poofter crap in our garden" she said!!!

AE1 Report
Michael White wrote "I forward the emailed report from Cdr John Foster RAN Ret'd, the main proponent for the search for the AE1 these 20 years or so and the author of the recent book on the search for the AE1 (AE1: Entombed but not Forgotten). Members can see that the Press Release by Minister for Veteran Affairs, Mr Billson, that the object found by HMAS Yarra off Rabaul in late May, is definitely not the AE1 is at odds with what Cdr Foster has to say about it. It is possible that this object is, after all, the AE1 although we will only know after further and more detailed investigation by the Navy.

Members will also see that the wreck in Blanche Bay, outer part of Rabual Harbour, is now definitely identified as a Japanese submarine, and not the AE1. I should be obliged if you could save and paste this report to the members of the SAA and the SIA respectively for their more complete information than that contained in the Minister's Press Release."

John Foster sent the following Report to other AE1 Project members.

Gentlemen, The jury is still out on the identification of the Yarra contact. I think too many people, including me at first, were put off by the confused picture sent back by the MDV. However, taking all things into consideration such as dimensions of target, parallel lines either side of the target, sand placement, coral growth-much irregular-,93 years of being on the floor in an area notorious for its to and froing of strong currents, a comparison with the E17 conning tower (from RN Sub Museum), the very assertive opinion of the divers who got to 20 metres above the target and now the fact that what the old RAN diver George Tyers though was AE1 in Blanche Bay has now been identified as a Jap sub and certainly not AE1 (Mark Spencer), the Navy is keen to go and do a proper ID run. I am informed that it would be several months away and the divers have to be TRAINED in deep-diving techniques and be provided with the right gear (Nitrox). It does make sense when you realise that mine clearance or mine inspection is usually conducted in waters less than 30 metres due to ineffectiveness of ground mines in deep water.

The MDV video is being sent to DSTO for examination and I have asked for the WAMM to be included in the examination of the facts. I think we should all hang in there We might be on the money ball. Either way, sending an expensive ship up there and paying due respects goes a long way in closing off the matter.

If anyone would like a DVD of the memorial Service conducted in Yarra on the last day please let me know and I will arrange it. Elizabeth and I are on our way to China on Sunday for a few weeks followed by a break in Italy. We will be back on 12 July so this station will be off the air during that time. Meanwhile Tom Hall is providing me with the addresses of the descendent rellies and time permitting I will dispatch copies of the memorial service off to them. The DVD is not well edited and some names have been omitted. Steve Marshall's camera was going on and off with condensation problems in the humid weather.

Yours aye,
Cdr John Foster RAN Ret'd, Chair of the AE1 Search Committee.

Health and welfare Issues - Driving and Disabilities
The QLD TIP Consultative Group Meeting recently raised the matter of driving and disabilities. The law has recently changed in Queensland and similar laws may affect other States / Territories.
These have implications for insurance and members need to become aware of it.

Les Dwyer, National President of the Naval Association of Australia reports that laws about reporting your fitness to drive have changed in Queensland. You can no longer wait until it is time to renew your licence to inform Queensland Transport of a permanent or long-term medical condition that adversely affects your ability to drive safely. Queensland Transport needs to know as soon as the condition develops or as soon as there is an adverse change to an existing condition.

Talk to your health professional about your medical condition and any potential impact this may have on your ability to drive safely. Health professionals are qualified to check if you are medically fit to drive. They may provide a medical certificate or official letter stating your fitness to drive.

Drivers who fail to report their medical condition may receive a maximum A$4,500 penalty or be disqualified from driving for a certain period.

What should you do if I develop a permanent or long-term medical condition?

You must let Queensland Transport know as soon as you become aware of the condition or an adverse change to it. This may be prior to obtaining a medical certificate from your health professional.

Note: Drivers aged over 75 years must hold a valid medical certificate at all times. There is more information on the Transport Queensland website.

Medical conditions which may affect driving

* Diabetes (early and late onset)
* Epilepsy
* Heart disease
* Strokes
* Arthritis and other joint problems
* Eye problems (for example, cataracts)
* Hearing disorders
* Sleep disorders
* Parkinson's disease and other neurological disorders
* Dementia and Alzheimer's disease
* Depression and other mental health problems
* Lung disease
* Injuries and disabilities

This list is not exhaustive. Other medical conditions, or combinations of conditions, may also be relevant.

Bus driver in Glasgow .... he was driving his route the other day when a dwarf guy got on the bus and started shouting about the bus being late and ranting and raving about getting "soaked through". The bus driver asked the guy what bus it was he wanted and the midget guy said it was the No. 66, the bus driver then said "well this is the No. 65 and you've got on the wrong bus ! "  .... To which the dwarf guy replied "well I'm not happy"..... The bus driver turned around and said "well which one are you then?"................   He got suspended…

I received the following request for information. "Hi Norm, I came across your site by accident but I was hoping you could end a long running debate at our local. First of none of us have any Navy experience but have contacts with people that have and no one seems to have a clear answer to a couple of questions as follows.. Q1... Can a submarine operate upside down at sea (I got on to someone high in the Navy and his answer was.. I don't know but what sort of crew have you got operating this Sub) Q2. If said Sub had turned upside down would it naturally float to the top or sink Basically what we want to know is if it turned over could they recover. Would appreciate your thoughts. Regards Frank." 

I responded using my scant understanding of the dynamics of a submarine, explaining that it was hard to operate that way, but some Oberon CO's were extremely good at it, although it was difficult to keep the oil in the deep fat fryer and using the heads was tricky. I received the following in response. "Thanks for your reply, one last question just to satisfy one irritating doubter, if for some reason the sub did turn could it recover by " blowing " the ballast. Also when you said almost impossible, what would the captain attempt to do to right the sub. I have difficult drinking partners to satisfy. Thanks and regard, Frank." I suggested that he change his drinking partners.

I have discovered a great place for collectors of Military, Naval & Aviation related Books. Empire Books at Joondalup in WA has a website for the curios. They have a massive stock of over 12,000 Military, Naval & Aviation related Books and lso sell Prints, Photos, Technical Manuals & ephemera. Lots of Submarine Books & related material, ex Brits and the flavour of our stock is very British, Loads of Royal Navy material as they were dealers in the UK for many years.

Call for sub experts to go Down Under
A new recruitment drive by the ASC (formerly Australian Submarine Company) is under way. An advert was placed in Barrow’s newspapers recruiting submarine experts and inviting them to “come to Australia”. The move is a repeat of tactics used by ASC in 2004 when they placed a similar advert.

On that occasion it was timed to coincide with the week when amphibious landing ship Bulwark departed Barrow.  This time the recruitment drive follows the successful rollout on Friday of Astute — BAE’s latest hi-tech vessel.

Based in Adelaide, ASC plans to attract Barrow’s wealth of submarine specialists, including engineers and designers. An ASC spokesperson said: “We require highly experienced submarine specialists in a number of areas, including design, project management and production. “We have had a number of Barrow workers join us since 2004, all of them still with the company and making significant contributions. We have been impressed not only with their skills and capabilities, but also the way they have grasped their new opportunity.”

The large advert first appeared in the Evening Mail on the eve of the Astute launch. It invites our top submarine builders and designers to “spend a few years, or the rest of your career,” in Adelaide or Perth. And suitable candidates are tempted to relocate to Oz with its “beautiful landscape, sea breezes and lifestyle”. The closing date for applicants to ASC’s jobs is June 24, with interviews held in July.

Australian's with relevant skills that are interested in employment in the Australian shipbuilding and support industry are advised that there is a section on employment on the ASC website.  Ex navy Technical sailors interested in a career in training can contact ASC's Contract Training Manager.

Grandma had been placed into a new nursing home.  The nurse wheeled Grandma out on the lawn, in her wheelchair, so that her family could visit her in the gardens. Grandma couldn't speak very well, but she could write notes when she needed to communicate. After a short time out on the lawn, Grandma started leaning off to the right, so one of the nurses came over, grabbed her, straightened her up, and stuffed pillows on her right.

A short time later, she started leaning off to her left, so again the nurse grabbed her and stuffed pillows on her left. Soon she started leaning forward, so the nurse again grabbed her, then tied a pillowcase around her waist to hold her up.

A grandson, who arrived to visit, came up to Grandma and said, "Hi, Grandma; you're looking good! How are they treating you?"

Grandma took out her little notepad and slowly wrote a note to the grandson...

"They won't let me fart ."

USS Michigan is back
The USS Michigan was welcomed back to duty today during a ceremony at Naval Base Kitsap in Silverdale that celebrated its conversion to a guided missile submarine after completing a $1 billion, nearly 3-year modification process at neighboring Puget Sound Naval Shipyard on the Kitsap Peninsula.

The Michigan, commissioned in 1982, is a Trident missile sub equipped to carry nuclear missiles is now capable of using conventional Tomahawk cruise missiles and supporting special operations forces.

Royal Navy launches first nuclear submarine in over a decade
Britain's Royal Navy's newest super-submarine, Astute, was launched last week by HRH Duchess of Cornwall at the BAE Systems shipyard in Barrow, Cumbria, in the United Kingdom. Astute is the first nuclear submarine to be launched in the UK for almost a decade. Built using the latest and most advanced naval engineering techniques, her construction has been described as more complex than that of the space shuttle.

Astute is the first of a class of hugely impressive vessels that will give the Royal Navy the world class capability it needs to protect the UK and her interests across the globe in the 21st century. Astute will be equipped with advanced cruise missiles and torpedoes that will provide her with more firepower than any previous British attack submarine. The submarine will enter service with the Royal Navy in 2009 and will be based in Scotland. She is expected to be a crucial part of the UK's naval defense forces for the next 25 years.

Far bigger and more potent than the current class of attack submarines, the Astute is 328 feet long and weighs 7400 tons. Because she will never need to be refueled, and due to her advanced on-board life support systems, the Astute will be able to circumnavigate the globe without needing to surface. Astute is the first vessel of four in the Astute class. The other three will be named the Ambush, the Artful and the Audacious.

Venezuelan submarine tender winner to be chosen soon, Russia says
Moscow - The winner of a tender to build new submarines for Venezuela will be announced by year's end and could come during a visit by Hugo Chavez to Russia later this month, Russian news agencies reported Thursday.

Russian shipbuilders have bid for the 600 million-dollar contract to supply Caracas with three high-tech submarines as Venezuelan leader Chavez looks to update his Caribbean nation's military might. 'A final decision on the winner of the (submarines) tender will be made by the end of the year,' a source said to be in Russia's military-industrial complex told Interfax.  The source, who was not identified, said Russia's bid could win the tender, with a contract to be signed during Chavez' visit to Moscow later this month.

Chavez has denied that a deal is imminent. Venezuela is looking to replace two German-built 209-class submarines as part of an attempt to update his energy-rich country's navy. A total of nine submarines and over 100 other naval ships are part of that programme.

South Korea launches another 1,800-ton submarine
South Korea unveiled its newest attack submarine, the second 1,800-ton vessel in its submarine fleet, this week.  The diesel-powered submarine, developed in partnership with Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft AG, is named Jeongji after a Korean military officer of the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) who led Korean forces in a series of victories against the Japanese navy.

“Jeongji's launch is another feat showing our will to maintain self-reliant defense and strengthen military capability,” Defense Minister Kim Jang-soo said in his congratulatory speech during a ceremony held at a shipyard of Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan, about 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

The 65.3-meter-long, 6.3-meter-wide vessel can carry a crew of more than 40 and is equipped with torpedoes, mines, anti-warship guided missiles and the Air Independent Propulsion system, which is aimed at enhancing underwater operational capability.

Naval officials said the testing on Jeongji will continue until it is commissioned late next year. The South Korean Navy's only other 1,800-ton submarine was launched last June.  South Korea owns several rather outdated 1,300-ton diesel-electric submarines, also made by the German company.

The country plans to launch its third 1,800-ton submarine next year and also aims to develop nine 3,000-ton submarines from 2010 to 2021 with its own technology. The navy has yet to decide on their fuel system.

Falklands submarine Onyx is saluted in oils
Twenty five years after she was used to put hush hush troops ashore on the Falklands, the submarine Onyx has been saluted in oil paints by Barrow artist Tom Murphy.The Barrow Island artist was hired by businessman Joe Mullen who bought the submarine for the town a year ago from a failed museum in Birkenhead.

Mr Mullen asked him to paint it at war in the Falklands where it was used for the covert surveillance work along the coasts. Mr Murphy’s painting shows the submarine landing troops from the SAS and the Special Boat Squadron on a reconnaissance mission.

Because the sub’s missions were secret, Mr Murphy found it difficult to research the picture.  But some of the commando canoes used in the Falklands and the outer clothing used on such operations is still aboard the sub, and gave him a start.

He also sketched Onyx at its BAE berth in Buccleuch Dock.

Mr Murphy said: “Because she was the only conventional sub and is and a silent runner she did a lot of covert work for the SAS and SBS. “Joe Mullen asked me to do this painting showing her doing exactly that. The problem was that to get the information was almost impossible.”

He used photographs of the coast in the Falkland Sound area to paint a realistic location. The painting shows around a dozen shadowy figures going ashore. In the distance in the light of the setting sun can be seen HMS Invincible and two Harrier jets.

Prints of the painting are to be sold to raise money for the Onyx and the town’s Submarine Heritage Centre project.

Mr Mullen, who reportedly paid up to £100,000 to buy the sub for Barrow, wants to move it into the empty wet dock at the Dock Museum, although expensive alterations to the entrance would have to be made to get the 300ft long Onyx inside. Onyx was built in Birkenhead as one of the Oberon class. Similar boats were built at Barrow yard.

Incentive for Malaysian submarine crews
The government has approved special incentives of between RM600 and RM3,000 monthly for Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) personnel in submarine service.  The Submarine Service Incentive Payment would be backdated to Jan 1, 2005, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced today.

He said the incentive would be paid from the start of training and based on their qualifications and expertise.  The RMN officers undergoing submarine training would receive RM800 while other ranks RM600 and having completed the training, the officers would receive RM1,400 while other ranks RM1,100.

When they reach the level of experts, their allowances will be raised to RM1,900 monthly for officers and RM1,500 for other ranks.  The submarine commanding officer would receive RM3,000.

He said that presently, 145 RMN personnel including 49 officers were being trained in France to enable them to operate submarines safely and effectively since 2005. The RMN is expected to take delivery their first of two Scorpene submarines in early 2009.

Navy faces the $10 billion question
The National Security Committee of Cabinet will soon make profound decisions about the size and shape of the Australian navy, with proposals to purchase three air warfare destroyers for between $6 billion and $8 billion and two large amphibious ships for about $2 billion. They will be the most important decisions about the future shape of the Australian navy since the Collins Class submarines 20 years ago.

The air warfare destroyers will be the most potent warships in our region and by far the most capable destroyers the navy has owned for more than 40 years. The amphibious ships will be the largest in Asia - larger than anything that China, Japan or India presently has. But there has been insufficient information in the public domain about the strategic justification for these warships.

The Howard Government's 2000 defence white paper said that Australia aimed to maintain a capable surface fleet able to operate in a wide range of circumstances throughout our maritime approaches and beyond. It stated Australia must be able to operate against capable regional navies and within range of hostile air forces. But it said little about amphibious forces, other than eventually planning to replace existing capabilities between 2010 and 2015.

The Defence Update 2005 of the former defence minister Robert Hill also left us little the wiser, except for asserting that the main role of the air warfare destroyers would be helping to protect the new amphibious ships.

This is clearly an important mission, not least because each of the amphibious ships will carry more than 1000 troops and amphibious operations are a potentially hazardous mission. But this must not become the sole operational purpose of these highly capable new destroyers. Leaving the navy with little, if any, independent strategic purpose other than transporting and protecting the army is strategically indefensible.

There are contingencies in our region where we may need to deploy an independent naval battle group, capable of projecting decisive force, over a significant period of time. That cannot be by strike aircraft or submarines alone. Surface warships are the only platform that has the full range of capabilities from peacetime operations through to high-intensity military conflict.

Having the best naval capabilities in our region is an important reflection of our national strength.

At present there are intense differences between the navy, which wants the more expensive of the destroyers under consideration because it has 64 vertical missile launch cells, and Defence's other top advisers, who consider that the 48 missile cells of the less expensive destroyer to be adequate for any credible regional contingency.

As well as being able to deliver continuous air and missile defence beyond the range of supporting land-based aircraft, the air warfare destroyers have the option of being equipped with the SM-3 missile which will provide protection against short and intermediate-range ballistic missile threats. It might also be worth equipping them with the Tomahawk land-attack cruise missile, which would give Australia a very long-range strike weapon.

These warships must be capable of defending our maritime approaches in a wide range of contingencies, projecting decisive military force in South-East Asia waterways, and operating closely beside our American ally. They will be in service for at least the next 20 or 30 years, when Australia is likely to see the development of major new strategic challenges and military modernisation programs in our region.

The public reasons for the new large amphibious ships are less apparent. There are clearly arguments in favour of having amphibious capabilities because of the nature of the archipelago and island chain to Australia's north and east. That argues for a capability to put Australian troops ashore and defend them. Having amphibious ships such as those proposed would have reduced the operational risk of the intervention in East Timor in 1999.

The concern, however, is that the strategic justification for these ships in the army's eyes is to create a mini version of the US Marines, subordinate to US war-fighting doctrine. Without US protection, it will take a large part of the naval and air resources of our small defence force to protect these amphibious ships in a hostile environment. Even in our own region, we probably need amphibious ships that are militarily robust and capable, given the potential hazards of over-the-beach landings.

The Government has said the new destroyers will be built in Australia. But it appears that the hulls of the amphibious ships, or parts of them, will be fabricated overseas. However, $10 billion wisely spent, particularly in the areas of combat systems integration and command-and-control, will have a significant effect on the sort of defence industry we need for the 21st century. It will also have an important multiplier effect in particular regions of Australia.

However, the Government needs to indicate whether there is a longer-term future for naval shipbuilding in this country, given that we need to consider whether we are going to build the next-generation submarines after the Collins and replacement frigates to the Anzacs.

Such long-term planning has been absent in the past. Important new guidelines were developed in the March 2007 Defence and Industry Policy Statement by the Defence Minister, Brendan Nelson, which proposes a strategic approach to identifying the priority areas of local industry capability. Defining whether there is a future for naval shipbuilding in Australia should be one of its first tests..

As well as being able to deliver continuous air and missile defence beyond the range of supporting land-based aircraft, the air warfare destroyers have the option of being equipped with the SM-3 missile which will provide protection against short and intermediate-range ballistic missile threats. It might also be worth equipping them with the Tomahawk land-attack cruise missile, which would give Australia a very long-range strike weapon.

Written by Emeritus Professor Paul Dibb, a former secretary-general of the Department of Defence.

New Submarine Rescue Vehicles Arrive
Britain, Norway and France have completed the construction of the NATO Submarine Rescue Vehicle (SRV). This $95 million project has produced a deep water rescue device that can be airlifted to anywhere in the world on short notice, fit on the deck of at least 140 identified ships, and mate with the escape hatches on most of the worlds submarines, and carry up to 72 men at a time to the surface.

The system is shipped in eleven waterproof cargo containers, that can be flown by military or civilian cargo aircraft. Including flight time, set up time on the ship, and movement time to the site of the distressed submarine, the NATO SRV should be able to get there and have the SRV in the water within 72 hours. The SRV itself is 31 feet long and weighs 27 tons, has a crew of three and can go as deep as 3,000 feet (which is the maximum depth for most submarines.)

The U.S. is building a similar system, providing two rescue systems to deal with any of the several hundred subs in service, getting in trouble. The NATO SRV will be based in Clyde, Scotland.

Design house looks at UUV-Submarine integration

At UDT Europe Naval ship BMT Defence Services recently revealed some of the engineering study work that it has been conducting to integrate UUV assets with conventional submarines (SSKs) and explained the process that the company has been going through and the conclusions it has drawn from its work.

Integrating UUVs with a submarine was an important capability because of the stealth aspect that submarines afford naval forces. For its study BMT chose to concentrate on Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace’s Hugin 1000 UUV because of its proven capability and the large amount of available date on the system.

Rather than looking at the relatively narrow market for large nuclear powered attack submarines (SSNs) BMT chose to concentrate on the SSK market, there are around 180 SSKs out there and another 40 or so being built.

During its technical studies BMT discounted a number of options, such as launch and recovery from an existing torpedo tube or new launch tube, because of the technical challenges. Instead the solution the company is touting at UDT Europe is a dedicated ‘wet’ dock aft of the submarines sail that would allow the UUV to dock, transfer data and recharge.

The company has already designed and delivered a dry dock for special forces operations aboard one of its SSNs to the UK MoD and this design is informing its work on some of the aspects of the ‘wet’ dock. A pressurised dry dock, which would allow direct access to the UUV, would not be suitable for an SSK because it would be too heavy for the smaller vessels.

BMT believes the ‘wet’ dock idea would be a good way to integrate UUVs with existing SSK fleets and sees a time when submarine designs would be developed to accommodate UUVs. ‘It will be like frigates that are now designed around operating helicopters.’ he concludes.

Come on Boof, time to replace the pavers.  Then we will go for a walk!
 

Sunday, 10^th JUNE 2007