‘We don’t have limitless resources’: Australian government prepared to scale back defence projects

[dimsum]

It'll be interesting to see what gets cut.

‘We don’t have limitless resources’: Australian government prepared to scale back defence projects

While Labor has committed to an increase in defence spending, Richard Marles refused to rule out building first nuclear-powered submarines offshore

www.theguardian.com

 

[RDBZ]

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 F-35s (reducing the fast jet fleet to F-35 and EA-18G) simplifying training and support.

 

[dimsum]

Looks like the Australian Army is bearing most of the cuts:

Army projects drastically cut as Australia fast-tracks massive build-up of land-based missiles

A multi-billion-dollar project to build high-tech army vehicles will be slashed by more than two-thirds as part of a dramatic realignment of Australia's military.

www.abc.net.au

 

[KevinB]

Looks like the Australian Army is bearing most of the cuts:

Army projects drastically cut as Australia fast-tracks massive build-up of land-based missiles

A multi-billion-dollar project to build high-tech army vehicles will be slashed by more than two-thirds as part of a dramatic realignment of Australia's military.

www.abc.net.au

Imagine a Government making rational choices based on their geographic location, threats and commitments…
And they did the review in 6 months. Hmmm

 

[dimsum]

I don't normally care for that site but if true, a quarter of the planned purchases weren't budgeted.

https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/military/defence-strategic-review-to-call-for-cost-prioritisation-after-morrison-government-overpromised-42bn-in-projects/news-story/6eeddf1a22bb8187ffc375d2f2ace3bd?amp

 

[KevinB]

I don't normally care for that site but if true, a quarter of the planned purchases weren't budgeted.

https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/military/defence-strategic-review-to-call-for-cost-prioritisation-after-morrison-government-overpromised-42bn-in-projects/news-story/6eeddf1a22bb8187ffc375d2f2ace3bd?amp

Hmm. That story sounds very familiar, but I’ve think I’ve seen it 470 miles north of me.

 

[GR66]

Hmm. That story sounds very familiar, but I’ve think I’ve seen it 470 miles north of me.

My favourite quote from the article (and very applicable to Canada unfortunately)

It is literally all announcement and no delivery. It is as if they thought they could walk onto the battlefield with a megaphone and announce our adversaries into submission.

 

[dimsum]

Hmm. That story sounds very familiar, but I’ve think I’ve seen it 470 miles north of me.

I think we're the opposite. The CAF doesn't say "we're getting XYZ" then say "holy crap, how are we going to pay for this?!"

The CAF says "we are looking to get XYZ...maybe...sometime..."

 

[McG]

Our projects definitely don’t get momentum before funding is identified. Our problem is that we go for optimistic estimates on the minimum requirement. We slap “scope ladders” on that. Then, when the optimistic estimates prove wrong and inflation further cuts into what we can afford, we silently remove capabilities from scope and reduce quantities below what we need.