Australia's two "Wunderwaffen" can't both be magical: Hunter frigates and AUKUS subs

The Grumpies return to SAA's bunker deep in the Brindabella Hills. It's time to take stock of the $9 billion spent so far on 3 Hunter frigates for Australia's Navy, with $18 billion still to go. The right time to stop a bad project is now, before more years - and $18bn of scarce defence cash is wasted. The Hunters are meant to be the world's best anti-sub hunting ships - but they still rely on what many other cheaper ships have: a single sub-hunting helicopter with dipping sonar and torpedoes, and they have to move slowly to be quiet when sub hunting. The weapon system has a common and enormous weakness. Australians are meant to be believe two pieces of contradictory magical thinking at the same time: 1. these 3 (yes, 3) Hunter frigates are the answer to finding and sinking any sub on the planet and so will keep our sea lanes safe. and 2. Australia's future AUKUS subs are the oceans' 'apex predators' and can't be found by any adversary system on the planet - they can hunt surface ships at will and are invisible to anti-sub hunters (like, say the Hunter frigates).....How lucky is the Australian military to have found two true WonderWeapons?

The Grumpies also look at Australia's counter drone strategy and achievements from the only real performance metric we have: hobbyist drones (and anyone else's) that want to fly into and over Australia's most important airbases can do so freely at will, unhindered by defensive measures that aren't defence personnel closing the blinds.....

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Episoder(88)

The Censorship Edition: slow change accelerates in politics, war, cricket & climate. But Govt censorship just keeps rolling

Marcus and Michael broadcast this edition of the Grumpy Strategists from two secure locations: Marcus kicking back birdwatching from SAA's home bunker in the Brindabellas outside Canberra, and from an...

11 Sep 51min

UK Count Binface's Australian Connection, AUKUS August, and Lethal Wellbeing

Michael calls in from Count Binface's campaign to beat Reform UK's Nigel Farage in the Clacton by-election. The Grumpies ponder a Binface-type manifesto for Australia - "I will cut your taxes and rais...

11 Aug 42min

AUKUS subs' temporary base is permanent again: Mr Conroy loses his trousers in Washington, startling Elbridge Colby

Marcus undertakes an emergency mercy flight to Washington DC to comfort and counsel Department of War deputy Elbridge Colby, stunned by the stab in the back from America's Aussie ally on American acce...

1 Aug 52min

Grumpy Strategists episode 77: Those silly Canadians. Drone wars - US joins Ukraine. & Zumwalt: The Expense Continues

It's a packed episode from the SAA bunker deep in the Brindabella Hills: Marcus gets into the world of high fashion with Gina Rinehart and Pauline Hanson, Michael marvels at Canada's "Three Stupids" f...

20 Jul 42min

Accountability is king, but no one is responsible. The tragedy of Australian Defence leaders forced to waste their time & our money

In Episode 76, the Grumpy Strategists ponder revelations of $29 billion of waste in just some of Australia's big defence projects from Minister for defence industry Pat Conroy. His answer: bold reform...

10 Jul 52min

Unaccountable rises: A Defence leadership Trifecta performs at Parliament, while China shifts the ground on AUKUS

Marcus and Michael each pick their three stand out takeaways from Australian Defence officials testimony about delivery and performance to the Parliament. It's hard to pick winners in a field like thi...

21 Jun 42min

America in Asia: a very different Hegesth to 2025 & regional ordering amongst disorder

Marcus talks to SAA's man in Singapore, Graeme Dobell, about the dynamics and developments on show at the annual Defence ministers' gathering in Singapore's Shangri-La hotel. This year, its America ta...

15 Jun 41min