On this Royal Australian Navy publically available website
https://www.navy.gov.au/fleet/ships-boats-craft/submarines/ssg (as at March 18, 2020) is some interesting information, including submarine "docking" (non-availability) and Commanding Officers names, Commanding Officers' names, in turn, link to their official career details.
- South Africa born Commander Darren White transferred from the South African Navy.
- UK born Commander Robin Dainty transferred from the UK Royal Navy, and
- UK born Commander Christopher Ellis transferred from the Royal Canadian Navy
Regarding "Status" three of the submarines (HMAS Rankin, HMAS Sheean and HMAS Waller) are undergoing varying types of "docking" which I assume to mean they are being overhauled (maintenance, repairs and upgrades), hence unavailable for operations.
This leaves just 3 Collins submarines, half the submarines physically available for operations. But the "Rule of Thirds" might suggest only 2 crews are available for operations.
Pete
https://www.navy.gov.au/fleet/ships-boats-craft/submarines/ssg (as at March 18, 2020) is some interesting information, including submarine "docking" (non-availability) and Commanding Officers names, Commanding Officers' names, in turn, link to their official career details.
"Following is a list of Collins class submarines commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy."
Name
|
Pennant
[number]
|
Commissioned
|
Commanding
Officer |
Status
|
|
|
S73
|
27 July
1996
|
||
|
|
S76
|
23
February 2001
|
||
|
|
S74
|
31
January 1998
|
||
|
|
S78
|
29
March 2003
|
Mid-cycle docking
|
|
|
|
S77
|
23 February 2001
|
[none?]
|
Intermediate Docking
|
|
|
S75
|
10 July 1999
|
Full-cycle docking
|
From the table above there appears to be only five Commanding Officers for Australia's six submarines.
On February 20, 2020 I mentioned the difficulty the Australian Navy has experienced in finding submariners and especially submarine Commanders. I assumed Commander transferees came from the UK Royal Navy - but that now appears just part of the story.
The difficulty in finding Australian born commanders is reflected in the table above, wherein:
- South Africa born Commander Darren White transferred from the South African Navy.
- UK born Commander Robin Dainty transferred from the UK Royal Navy, and
- UK born Commander Christopher Ellis transferred from the Royal Canadian Navy
Regarding "Status" three of the submarines (HMAS Rankin, HMAS Sheean and HMAS Waller) are undergoing varying types of "docking" which I assume to mean they are being overhauled (maintenance, repairs and upgrades), hence unavailable for operations.
This leaves just 3 Collins submarines, half the submarines physically available for operations. But the "Rule of Thirds" might suggest only 2 crews are available for operations.
Pete
How much is commanders salary?
ReplyDeleteHi Pete,
ReplyDeleteIf you click on the link for HMAS Farncomb for instance you get a funny result.
"The submarine moves silently on electric power supplied to the propulsion motor by banks of new technology lead-free batteries. The batteries are charged by three onboard diesel generator sets."
I assume it should be lead-acid?
/Kjell
Hi Anonymous [at March 18, 2020 at 6:29 PM]
ReplyDeleteRe: "How much is commanders salary?"
Difficult question. RAN pay level + extra submarine allowances + a little room and lots of food on submarine. For slary checkout https://www.defence.gov.au/PayAndConditions/ADF/Resources/WRA.pdf for Officers-Navy-CMDR + [next page] "ADF Allowance Rates" -"Maritime" "Submarine"
More enticingly https://navy.defencejobs.gov.au/submariners/pay-and-benefits
"Join the Navy. See the world" Submarine officers usually spend a lot of time at foreign shore bases and on surface ships before becoming submariners.
Cheers
Pete
Hi /Kjell [at March 19, 2020 at 1:39 AM]
ReplyDeleteThanks for picking up that incorrect mention of "lead-free" at https://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-farncomb.
Yes lead-ACID main storage batteries for HMAS Farncomb's and all other Collins subs is correct. Lead-acid provided by https://www.pmbdefence.com.au/batteries/overview .
No way Lithium-ion batteries are being used.
Regards
Pete
These days with smaller fleets across the West too many 'professionals' try to dismiss the concept of "Thirds" but modern technology isn't improving availability. All systems are more complicated, which requires more maintenance, more training (on those systems, impacts on work ups / combat training, and so overall availability. i would say submarines actually are best operated on a 4 for 1 basis. (See our problems with HMS Vanguard). So in a way the RAN numbers are pretty good for a small force of mature platforms that are pushed to the limits of what an SSK should be doing.
ReplyDeleteHi Steve
ReplyDeleteYes on publically available evidence Aus submarine equipment and crew availability is looking better than 1 sub at any one time..
A trend that helped/helps Australian submarine crew availability was a marked decline, a few years back, in the Western Australian mining industry. An industry remaining down with the Coronavirus/widespread trade drop in Chinese, S Korean, Japanese demand for iron ore and other metals.
No longer can mine/oil rig recruiters hang around the Collins main base (Fleet Base West https://www.navy.gov.au/establishments/hmas-stirling ) just south of Perth to offer 2 or 3 times the pay to engine room officer/technicians and many other grades- with more comfortable/safer work sites than being in a sub.
Regards
Pete