Katherine Ziesing | Canberra
JP2008 Phase 3F — Australian Defence Satellite Communication Capability Terrestrial Enhancement — has been added to the Projects of Concern list.
Acting Chief Executive Officer, Defence Materiel Organisation, Harry Dunstall, said the project had been raised with the Minister for Defence, Kevin Andrews, who had directed DMO to work with BAE Systems to get the project back on track.
The project was originally approved in 2009 to deliver an enhanced Australian Defence Satellite Communications (SATCOM) capability through the delivery of a satellite ground station in Western Australia and an upgrade to the existing Optus C1 Ground Station at HMAS Harman (SGS-H).
Once delivered, the capability will interface with deployed forces accessing the Wideband Global Satellite (WGS) with the Defence Wide Area Network and Australian Defence headquarters and support elements.
Dunstall said the project had experienced significant delays since approval and final delivery was now forecast to be completed some five years later than originally planned.
“Adding this project to the Projects of Concern list was the most appropriate option for addressing the significant schedule, technical and cost challenges facing the project,” Dunstall said.
ADM understands that the Projects of Concern list still has some programs included that are lingering for no apparent reason other than paperwork, such as the MRTT KC-30A which has been deployed to Syria.