Continued

Our navy did a pretty good job of turning a couple of clapped out old US navy tank landing ships, [only expected to be used once or twice] into something pretty useful. They have done such a good job that the yanks are going to do something similar, only with new ships.

The first of their replacements should be well on the way to being fitted out in Melbourne by now, but it has only just been launched in Spain. I wonder why. I also wonder if there will be anyone left to run the things by the time they're commissioned.

I wonder how many realise todays navy is not run by admirals, captains, or even petty officers, as it once was, modern navies are are run by leading seaman. It's these young blokes, the equivalent of an army Sargent, who run the machinery. If you don't have a bunch of them who know their ships machinery, & can service, & repair that machinery, you have something like a floating restaurant, which must remain tied to the wharf.

These blokes don't seem to be too highly valued. I guess the skipper sees himself leading a flotilla of destroyers rushing into battle, rather than a bunch of oily sweaty mechanics. It may surprise some of them that if the machinery doesn't work, they can't even fire their guns, today that takes electricity.

It takes a smart bloke, well trained, & interested to make modern war ships go. Until our navy realise this, & value their mechanics a bit more highly they will struggle to get anything to sea. There are companies who will value the good ones very highly, & treat them like royalty. You can't run ships with the dregs.

Sure Manoora's gearboxes are shot, but they could battle on. I have a suspicion that the reason she is being decommissioned is because they can't crew her, like the subs.

The crew on Kanimbla reckon she is better now than she was a couple of years ago, & wonder just what is going on, with her suddenly declared unseaworthy.