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The presence of the US Marine Rotational Force - Darwin (since 2012) would provide training opportunities not available in Adelaide. https://www.marforpac.marines.mil/MRFDarwin/

You forgot about "the buildup" season. It's hot, usually overcast, always with ultra high humidity, but there won't be a drop of rain to cool things (or you) down. Luckily it only lasts 6 - 10 weeks prior to the wet season.....

New Zealand is a land of dairy farmers too....... Just saying'......

An interesting summary of the ADF's focus on long range strike capabilities, including Tomahawk and HIMARS procurement. https://www.defence.gov.au/news-events/news/2023-08-21/missiles-power-adfs-range "The announcement of the $1.7 billion investment came on top of news that the acquisition of...

"The original" being all models pre SEP3 (first received by units in 2020), so it is likely they are. Abrams X also includes some pretty dramatic weight reduction measures.

I wonder whether the new Auxiliary Power Unit on the M1A2SEP3 makes the diesel engine debate less relevant? Or perhaps reduces the fuel burn issue to a level where the advantages of a turbine clearly outweigh any remaining "excess fuel consumption."

Well, the turbine can be run on diesel fuel, while the M1A2SEP3 adds an APU that can also use diesel fuel.

You need to adjust for the MQ-4Cs the RAAF operates though.

Australia has had an ongoing nuclear reactor program since the 1950s, though, focussed on "research" and production of isotopes for medical and industrial usage. Sure, that is a very different scenario to submarine propulsion, but then so is electricity production for homes and industry.

Canada's interests seem to have gone in pretty much the same direction as NZ's.

I suspect those USAF specific changes are pretty modest as stated. The open architecture battle management system has already been tested on RAAF aircraft and presumably scheduled in the current upgrade program. The two "prototypes" may be more about very clearly defining and agreeing what...

Has anyone really figured out how to accurately assess "value for money" in the context of military capability? There was most likely extensive technical analysis of each bid, so no doubt there will be some interesting perspectives on this. I would have thought that the RAN and RCN programs...

...SSN-AUKUS....

That "research" reactor program has been in existence since the 1950s though, and has operated without incident throughout that timeframe. Going from "research" to naval reactors will certainly require a lot of effort, but going from civilian nuclear power production to naval reactors would...

The Soryu class saga was more about media speculation and hype though, not an actual program. I suspect the Aus DoD learned from the Attack class; hence the options for more Virginia class boats which no doubt will be exercised pretty quickly if the SSK-AUKUS program looks like imploding or...

One of the reported reasons for selection of the DCNS Shorten Barracuda was the relatively easy transition to nuclear propulsion later in the program. So something happened behind the scenes.

Odd timing, given the lifespan of a nuclear submarine. "Later" may well be a long, long time in the future. Perhaps we'll see a tri-nation program for a new class of boats to follow-on both the Virginias and Astutes.

Even the often mentioned open-architecture battle management system has already been flight tested on an RAAF aircraft. https://www.defenceconnect.com.au/key-enablers/7180-wedgetail-open-mission-systems-validated-in-operational-environment

I don't think the rationale for the E-7 was ever only that is would be "cheaper," but more a realisation that even by the late 1990s the E-3 was looking "old tech," not just in terms of radar technology but also in its ability to act as a data hub. Lower operating and support costs were...

They will be looking at total program costs, not only hardware/platform acquisition, so I suspect it won't only be new programs that get reassessed. Now that the Tigres and NH90s are on the way out, the next round might include accelerating the retirement of the F-18Fs to make way for more...