STRUGGLING FOR A SOLUTION: THE RAN AND THE ACQUISITION OF A

SURFACE TO AIR MISSILE CAPABILITY

Peter Jones and James Goldrick

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) provides nautical forces that contribute to the
overall offensive and defensive capacity of Australia’s military power. It is responsible for
maritime patrol and response, tactical and preventive operations, national sea border
security, naval intelligence analysis, and protection of maritime business and trade. It
supports the nation’s worldwide interests and establishes a strategic advantage for
Australia’s national welfare and security (Jones and Goldrick, 2000).

Air defense and offense naval systems are one of the core abilities that the navy
must have. A surface to air missile system is a nautical defense strategy that is designed to
support navies in defending their naval parameters from aircraft and anti-ship missiles. It
features advanced and active radar detection technology that controls and directs the
propulsion of a compact missile capable of engaging high-speed targets. Navies across the
world relied heavily on the application of missiles to provide fleet security and protection.
The efficiency of the manufacturing process was increased because of the technological
leap experienced by the RAN. There is a dire need to fully integrate any naval ship into
having electronic-based warfare defense systems, autonomous target locking, and firing
technology. The RAN air defense systems protect fleets and other naval war crafts from
potential threats such as target locked missiles and jet propulsion engines. Such defensive
measures require a great deal of design and technology. Currently, the RAN has released a
production line of ASW (Anti-submarine warfare) and AAW (Anti-air warfare) that
specifically designed for enemy counter attacks; Specifically, rapid fire cannons with a
stabilized gun mount, lightweight close-in weapon systems that operate with the same
efficiency as that of a machine gun system, active missile decoys designed to confuse and
divert anti-ship missiles away from their spotted/locked targets, and anti-ship missile
defenses that provide the RAN fleets with rapid firing, electronic-based, and computer
controlled gun systems.
 The RAN’s interest with improving AAW and ASW weapons has progressively
increased since the start of the 1950s. There were multiple suggestions about modernizing
and transforming old and historical ships into newly improved modern war crafts that
contain advanced weapon technology. Despite this initiative, the complicated designs,
incompatible compartments, and limited budget caused a constant struggle on the
implementation of such renovations (Jones and Goldrick, 2000). The navy office was
dedicated to find necessary alternatives that will justify that sustaining the current well-
being of a historical fleet and applying practical and complementary upgrades on it would
prove less costly and more operational. This type of mindset will only lead to further
technological obsolescence and will not do any good to the modern trend of technological
warfare. Technological compromise is just a form of wishful thinking that causes disarray
on the on the minds of scientifically equipped crews and operators. The RAN must
continuously implement strategic measures to inculcate into the system of each naval
individual that the more advanced the technology the stronger the navy will become.

A perfect example of the revolutionary shift performed by the RAN was the
successful advancement of the Hobart-class DDG (also known as a Guided Missile
Destroyer). The navy has carried out a sea sparrow missile (ESSM) launching which
showcased the new combat capabilities of the RAN (Hammond, 2020). The utilization of
DDGs was indeed a technological breakthrough for the RAN as it made possible the
sustainability of combat power that is greatly needed in this missile-based era. This
advancement led to the realizations of other nations that changes have to be made within
their current state of assets. Engaging in such experimental research could prove risky but
vital to future of technological naval warfare. The US is one of the pioneering naval
organizations when it comes to fast-paced technological advancement. Although other
pioneering countries such as the British constantly joins the race to naval warfare
supremacy it is still questionable whether its current assets are more than enough to beat
the US at its own game. The current American naval platform differs at such a larger scale
compared to that of the British navy. Even some of the technical dimensions introduced by
the US navy are generally too much for the RAN to effectively operate (Jones and Goldrick,
2000). Regardless, the RAN never ceases to cope up with the rising trend and continues to
compete eye to eye with the other naval power houses. The RAN will always be considered
a naval stronghold and a force to be reckoned with in sea battle.

The world is entering the age of electronic-based revolution wherein most of civil
and electromechanical works are all interconnected with computers and software. The best
option to avoid the tragic fate of being left behind is to conduct proper navy training using
the updated manuals that includes technological warfare and upgraded maritime tools,
materials and equipment. The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and its technical infrastructure
must never be underestimated due to its perseverance and relentless pursuit of naval
warfare dominance and maritime tactical innovation. Through complex consultations,
multiple connections and an unbending sense of resolve, the RAN was able to achieve the
uncertain and theorize the impossible that led to the modernization of its nautical war craft
system and operations.