• There is a balance of paperless, simulated and emulated learning tools at the Mascot site.
    There is a balance of paperless, simulated and emulated learning tools at the Mascot site.
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As part of the logistics and training behind the LHD capability, BAE Systems Australia are preparing RAN crews for their time aboard HMA Ships Canberra and Adelaide. To answer the requirement BAE Systems Australia has stood up a training facility at Mascot in Sydney, transforming an office building and a 4,000 sqm2 warehouse into classrooms and simulation suites in only six months.

Perhaps the most impressive piece of infrastructure on site is known the ‘jumping castle’ for mass evacuation training. The huge scaffolding structure allows sailors to deploy the commercial grade system which once inflated, lives up to its nick name.

“We realise that this is only a temporary training facility until the RAN stands up its Randwick site,” explained Wendy Bourke, BAE Systems Australia LHD Integrated Logistics Support Manager Maritime to ADM. The Randwick training site is due to open in 2017 and is currently with the Public Works Committee. “But at the end of their time here, sailors are 90 per cent ready to begin their time on an LHD.”

The other 10 per cent is Navy specific tactic, techniques and procedures (TTPs) involved mainly on the operational front of running the LHD. Navy will cover this TTP material. The 90 per cent that Bourke refers to is more about how to sail the ship and operate under normal and emergency conditions.

When BAES were establishing the facility, they looked at how the Spanish Armada had pulled together their training efforts for their LHD, the Juan Carlos. In a nutshell, very differently was the answer.

“They just do things differently to us,” Bourke said. “There was very little transfer between the two countries thanks to very different training model. But we are keeping in contact with one another.”

One of the elements that Bourke and her 25-strong team are most proud of is the paperless nature of the courses. The software used in both the classrooms and in the simulators is all easily updatable and tablet based for students. The simulation suites are giant touch screen heaven. Bourke says despite the temporary nature of the facility, the material is aimed at the long term in this regard.

Though not everything is simulated on a screen. There are three radar towers to give operators a sense of scale and clearances alongside the operations side of the equation. While they don’t transmit, all the procedures can still be practiced and drilled on the relevant panels.

To get some idea of the work already done, BAES has conducted over 1,000 training incidents with 131 courses completed with 58 types of courses available for 351 crewmembers to be trained, with many doing multiple courses. The course lengths vary anywhere from a day to 45 says for some of the more in depth mechanical engineering aspects.

“Each new LHD will have approximately 250 programmed sessions, conducted over one year for Canberra and 18 months for Adelaide,” NUSHIP Canberra Training Officer, LCDR Jocelyn Oates told ADM. “For each ship, this equates to over 8,000 training days.”

It’s the mechanical engineering side of the training that relies heavily on simulators. The LEST (LHD engineering systems trainer) is linked to training facilities at HMAS Cerebus that are based on Kongsberg Neptune system. The Mascot facility has support from L-3, Kongsberg and Saab for various software and equipment. The courses teach the trade skills of running such a highly automated ship.

“The LEST can set environmental parameters like water temp (higher temp sees more marine growth with increased drag etc) and can model these effects on various systems like HVAC,” explained Bourke to ADM. “These can also be hooked up to the bridge sim on site along with the bridge sim already at HMAS Watson as they are all based on the Neptune system.”

“The LEST is at the forefront of training for ship’s technical personnel,” LCDR Oates said. “It provides a simulated engine space that can be used for both individual and team training. Trainees can do everything from prepare to sail checks and starting engines, to breakdown drills, fault finding and trend analysis.

“By being able to provide this training in a simulated environment it is possible to provide streamlined, consistent programs that will have personnel fully qualified before they go to sea, only requiring ship familiarisation and endorsement once onboard NUSHIP Canberra.

“Faults can be programmed into the systems – or errors can be left to run, so personnel can see the full repercussions of their actions or inaction. There is no danger of harming the system – the simulated ship can be returned to normal operation in a matter of minutes. This training clearly demonstrates the links between systems and how a fault in one area can impact other areas.

“A real benefit to the simulated training is that all scenarios are captured on camera to allow trainees to review what went wrong or what they missed, which enriches the training environment,” LCDR Oates said.

In terms of the Army personnel (just over 50 or so) that will call the LHD home, they learn basic seamanship skills and ship systems that apply to them. The RAAF Air Traffic Control personnel (all two of them) will also have this training. But for all intents and purposes they are treated no differently in the training programs.

Again on the temporary front of the facility, while BAES bought all the equipment needed for the site and linked it appropriately, it is now government furnished equipment and part of the commonwealth inventory. There would hardly be much surprise if some of the equipment now at Mascot found a home at Randwick later this decade.

Disclaimer: The writer travelled to and visited the Mascot training site as a guest of BAE Systems Australia.

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