The Navy Vol_37_Part1 (Feb-Mar-Apr, May-June-July 1975)

Wishing Every Future Success to the Navy Leaguefrom.Harrison & Son (Nowra)Pty Ltd• Engineers e Complete Engine ReconditioningNavel Personnel Enquiries:90 NORTH ST, NOWRA, NSWTelephone: Nowra 2 2302Huskisson Sport Store(PAUL HARP, Prop)e For a Complete Range of Sporting Goods• Fishing Tackle e Bait e Customised FishingRodsNaval Enquiries:70 OWEN ST, HUSKISSON, NSWTelephone: Huskisson 41 5311JOHN McLEANELECTRICAL SERVICE0" Domestic Installations MaintenanceRepairs * Radio Controlled VehiclesNaval Enquiries:Telephone: Nowra 2 3568andFor a Complete Range of Speedwell Cycles andAccessories. Fast Repair and Replacement ServiceEnquiries Welcomed at:SHOP 15, SHOALHAVEN ARCADE. NOWRA. NSWMATES• Specialising in All Floor Coverings • FreeMeasure and Quote • All Carpets Made and Laidby our Expert Tradesmen/26 BERRY ST, NOWRA, NSWNaval Enquiries:Telephone: Nowra 2 0204Nowra General AgentsPty Ltd• Co-ordinated Railroad TransportServiceRAILWAY STREETBOMADERRY, NOWRA, NSWTelephone: Nowra 2 0351Complete World-Wide Travel ServiceAll Airlines & All Shipping Lines* Individual and Group Tours " Air. Land and Sea• Holidays and Business TravelNOWRA TRAVEL SERVICE20 BERRY ST, NOWRA, NSWPhone: Nowra 2 3051, 2 3857Rainford Decorating Centre(IAN HAMMOND)Interior Decor ConsultantsSuppliers ofe Wallpaper • Curtains and Blinds e Lights• Rugs • Pictures e Mirrors e Bric-a-bracPhone: Nowra 2 095216 EAST ST, NOWRA, NSWA. R. SHERGOLD& COSuppliers of Broom Handles to the NavyWorkshop:315 BRONTE ROADWAVERLEY, NSW 2024Phone: 389 5562the decision to scrap two furtherminesweepers. It has been estimatedby Vice-Admiral Sir RichardPeek ( "The Navy ". November-December-January. 1974-75) thatthe four remaining craft will needreplacement by 1977Clearly, a decision is necessary asto the type of MCM craft the RANneeds to replace her elderly existingvessels The RAN will have to choosebetween the North American(AMCM) approach and the Europeandevelopment ot the surface based(SMCM) system.The AMCM cannot yet cope with alltypes of mines, is cheaper and canmove to mined areas very quickly,but requires much greater supporteffort "in the field". The newEuropean glass reinforced plastichulls require minimal maintenance,can cope with more types of mine,The operations room oj a mine hunter at work. A high definition and require less "field" support thansonar (not visible)gives a television-like picture oj mines found on AMCM. the However, each unit is morebottom, and enables the ship to direct a diver to the correct area.expensive in initial outlay. It ismdecade ago in the specially convertedminesweeper HMS Shoulton.To utilise the potential offered bythis system, the British and otherWestern Democracies haveconverted a number ot minesweepersto the minehunting role.As a result of further developmentwork on the minehunting activity,the French now have operational atsea (in FS Circe and her sisters) aconsiderable improvement on theBritish method of launching arubber dinghy with a sonar reflectorbeneath The British direct thedinghy by radio to the target. Themine is then buoyed and diversdispose of it by explosive charges.The new French system removes theneed for men in the actual disposaloperation.Australia's position in all this isone of woeful inadequacy, in termsof numbers sufficient to deal withtoday's threat related to the numberof points at which the mine threatcan be implemented, coupled withmaintaining the skills we have untiltechnical developments and operationalexperience in Europe andNorth America clarily which MCMmethods would be most satisfactoryfor Australia in the future.We now have four MCM vessels.Two of these. HMA Ships Snipe andCurlew, are fully fitted with theBritish type minehunt.ng capabilityThe other two. Ibis and Teal, retaintheir original minesweeping equipment— to clear moored, magneticand acoustic mines. Normally, threeships are operational whilst thefourth refits.The Government has |ust madeA diver operating from a Gemini dinghy, preparesunlikely there will be sufficientfunds tor the RAN to adopt bothsystems.Whichever system the Navychooses one thing is clear — themine is a threat to Australia, notonly in another fifteen years buttodayto dive on a mine.Page Thirty-six THE NAVY May/June/July,May/June/July, 1975 THE NAVY Page Thirty seven