Hmmm, it appears I'm not alone re: small carriers....

[cobbler]

What of area air defence? What of re-supply for these carriers and their escorts? What of upgrading the CPFs so they do remain viable? Where are you getting the manpower for these carriers? Training for the crews and airgroups? Selection for the type of aircraft for the air groups? Etc Etc Etc

Then how is it feasible for the Aussies, who have a Military similar to ours ?

Well Australia currently has three large amphibious ships, and 6 medium amphibious landing craft. We have experience using them all in operations (timor, solomons, bouganville, iraq, etc). We have dedicated navy utility helicopters (seakings, old but they are something), and army blackhawks (soon the better for amphib ops NRH-90). We have army units that already can operate well with the navy in joint beach landings. We are aqquiring three DDG-51 derivative AEGIS air warfare destroyers, and upgrading the ANZAC's. We have the replenishment ships already in place.
So the manpower is already covered, the experience is pretty much there (except the flat top deck movements, we lost that after our carriers were decommisioned), our army know what to do, the infrastructure exists, the protection is in place and/or soon to come, and the helicopters are there.
Whilst our militaries are similar, one thing Australia has is the Amphibious ships and the experiecne in using them, the jump to LHD's will be much easier for us than it would be for Canada. It would be possiblke for you, but it would take longer and would require more investment into aviation, comms, support, doctrine, and so on.

Anyway, rather than start a new thread i thought i would post this here...

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2005/10/16/1264987-cp.html

What are your thoughts? Any chance your government will give it the nod, if so what size ships and what else will need to be purchased (such as new helicopters, landing craft, etc)?

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

If anything it would make more sense for us to get the Rotterdam/Galacia class or the Schelde Enforcer as it would fit our budget a lot better then the San Antonios.