DMO gears up to deliver for the HNA

The DMO is spending a lot of money on Army's behalf. ADM reviews the major land systems projects which will make the HNA a reality.
Australia's Hardened Networked Army (HNA) will be equipped with between $1.5 and $1.8 billion-worth of new and upgraded combat equipment and a further $3 billion-worth of general service vehicles and trailers. While this investment is significant, it is small compared with the cost of the Navy's Air Warfare Destroyers and the RAAF's planned F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning & Control aircraft and A330-200 Multi-Role Tanker Transports.

Paradoxically, however, in any operational scenario involving any kind of physical risk to ADF personnel, it is Army troops who are most likely to be exposed to that risk and, in many circumstances, will shoulder the majority of the risk. So it's only equitable that Army should seek to equip itself to operate safely and effectively in a range of circumstances varying from peace support to outright conventional war.

Most of the major acquisition projects which will deliver the firepower, protection and connectivity sought by Army are already under way: the HNA Plan calls for very little that's not already in the Defence Capability Plan. The major exception to that is the acquisition of heavy airlifters to add leverage to the RAAF's C-130 Hercules fleet and provide a secure, reliable means of transporting sensitive outsize cargoes and certain military units quickly.

However, there had been reports that a number of Army acquisition projects were running late - aside from the well-documented M-113 upgrade program, there had been little sign of progress on two key phases of Project Ninox. For this edition ADM asked the head of DMO's Land Systems Division, Colin Sharp, for an update on his Division's major projects. At the time Land Systems Divison was mired in allegations of incompetence and contracting irregularities relating to a combat clothing contract some years ago. One of the industry protagonists had written to the Prime Minister about this, copying the letter to ADM. At the time of writing ADM had not seen the letter.

Just before ADM closed more allegations arose of sub-standard boots, clothing, body armour and other equipment being issued to ADF personnel in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Sharp's point was that nearly a quarter of LSD's $400 million a year budget is spent on combat clothing - and clothing is a highly important and personal issue for soldiers so under-performance in this area can affect DMO's relationship with its customer, something which Sharp has been at pains to keep in good repair . Despite the problems in question arising some years ago, Sharp said DMO is taking the legacy issue seriously, has got Defence's Management and Audit Branch and the Inspector General involved and has used the opportunity to strengthen its RODUM (Report of Defective or Unsuitable Materiel) feedback system.

The DMO responds to safety-related RODUMS with 24 hours, Sharp told ADM, and to others within 120 hours. If sufficient RODUMs relating to a specific piece of equipment are received, a pattern can then be established and dealt with - subsequent RODUMs relating to this equipment may then receive a holding response which, to the uninitiated may read like a polite brush-off. This is in part to forestall targeted campaigns by groups of soldiers who believe that the more RODUMs they send on a particular issue the more likely it is the problem will be dealt with.

The reports of sub-standard combat equipment that were first aired in The Weekend Australian on 11 February were potentially more worrying as they appear toaffect the safety and effectiveness of soldiers in combat. The Chief of Army, LTGEN Peter Leahy, refuted the allegations and the new Minister, Dr Brendan Nelson, stated, "The Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, has advised me that the troops have told him that they are the best equipped they have ever been."

Project Ninox is responsible for equipping Army with a range of personal and equipment mounted devices for medium to long range surveillance and target acquisition. The combination of these capabilities will enable a layered, multi-spectral approach to surveillance and target acquisition within the ADF. Project NINOX currently has contracts to acquire Ground Surveillance Radar (GSR), Night Fighting Equipment (NFE), Thermal Surveillance Systems (TSS) and Unattended Ground Sensors (UGS).

The NFE is now in service. The Image Intensifying Night Vision Goggles, Night Weapon Sights and Night Aiming Devices acquired under Project Ninox at a cost of some $177 million have been employed by the ADF on all major operational deployments in the past five years. This equipment has enabled the soldier to effectively conduct night operations and given the ADF a superior fighting capability in deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, East Timor and other regions.

The last capability to be acquired under this phase is Sniper Night Sights (SNS). A $5.5 million contract has been let for SNS with first deliveries due in late 2006.

The TSS phase initially acquired TASMAN thermal imagers in 2001 for deployment to East Timor. These imagers were highly effective in reducing cross-border movement during darkness. TSS provides a 24 hr, all-weather, surveillance, target acquisition and fall of shot adjustment capability out to 7km. The last of the TSS surveillance systems were delivered to ADF units in May 2005. Deliveries will be complete by June 2006. TSS has an approved budget of $75 million and ADI Limited's prime contract is valued at $55 million.

The GSR and UGS phases, being complex developmental programs, did encounter delays and significant senior management effort by the contractors was required to get them back on track, according to DMO's Colin Sharp.

Delivery of GSR systems to ADF units began in December 2005. The GSR team was also able to meet the urgent preparation requirements for the Al Muthana Task Group due to a close working relationship with the contractor, Tenix Defence. Prior to this, the DMO project team won an award for excellence as part of the Australian Institute of Project Management Awards in September 2005. GSR provides a 24 hr, all-weather target detection and indirect fire adjustment capability at ranges out to 35km. The AMSTAR system is based on the UK's MSTAR Doppler radar but has modifications that enable target classification and includes an enhanced man-machine interface. GSR has an approved budget of $84 million and Tenix's prime contract is valued at $79 million.

UGS is the most ambitious phase of Land 53 and seeks to remotely detect, locate, and recognise a range of targets, by day and by night, in all weather conditions. UGS utilises infrared, thermal imaging, seismic, magnetic and optical technologies. Trialing of the current build standard was completed in December 2005 with a user review of the results to be completed by March 2006.

Both cases highlighted an issue for the DMO, says Sharp. In the case of the GSR Land Systems Division (LSD) was forced to engage the MSTAR designer, Thales, 'strongly' at a senior executive level to recover from developmental delays. The company put more engineers on the job and the outcome reflects this effort. Similarly, LSD was forced to engage the UGS system designer, Textron, at a senior level to get things moving. The company treated the delays on the UGS program as a matter impacting on its corporate reputation, Sharp said, and progress has been resumed.

The important point here, he told ADM, is that DMO chief Dr Steve Gumley has given his subordinates license to engage industry and push them hard to meet their schedule obligations. Surprisingly, said Sharp, one company he 'engaged' told him this was the first time any of its major defence clients had pushed them hard on project schedule.

Sharp added that in both cases DMO had been working through a local contractor, Tenix Defence, whose ability to influence its overseas partners significantly was hampered by its relatively junior role in these relationships. He observed that while the DMO needs to understand the real schedule and skills issues constraining the contractors, overseas primes need to understand better how the Australian market works, and they need to delegate more power to their local agents and partners to deal with problems as they arise.

Advanced new equipment for the close combatant has started rolling out on time and on budget as part of the Soldier Modernisation program - Land 125, according to DMO. The project is evolutionary and aims to ensure infantry soldiers are equipped for the battlefield of the future through the integration of new technologies. The first package of equipment, known as Soldier Enhancement version one (SEv.1), has five components that are designed to enhance the close combat capabilities of the infantry soldier.

Soldier Personal Radio (SPR) - a lightweight, intra-section communication device. It provides for increased battlefield flexibility through the ability to communicate at planning distances of up to 500m. A $12.8 million contract was signed with Marconi Australia (now Ericsson) for the delivery of 6,000 SPRs in January this year with the first delivery scheduled for March.

Thermal Weapon Sight (TWS) - used with the F88 Steyr, the TWS enables the observation and acquisition of targets during day and night, and through battlefield obscurants. Source Selection for the provision of a TWS per Infantry Section (between 100-150) is scheduled to be finalised this month.

Individual Combat Load Carriage Equipment (ICLCE) - an integrated modular system consisting of a field pack and chest webbing. It is constructed of flame resistant material and employs signature management technology, making it more difficult to see through night vision equipment. Contracts worth some $8 million for the delivery of ICLCE were finalised with 10 separate suppliers in September 2005. The first deliveries of 6,000 sets of ICLCE occurred in October 2005. The capability was rolled out to 2 RAR in December 2005 and will continue at a rate of one Battalion per month until rollout is complete.

Enhanced Combat Helmet (ECH) - This helmet is currently in service with Special Operations Command. It features a night vision goggle bracket and enhanced ballistic characteristics. 6000 ECHs worth $2.8 million were delivered by Point Trading Pty. Ltd. and are currently being rolled out to units.

Personal Protective Padding (PPP) - comprising elbow and knee pads will satisfy operational and OH&S requirements. Source Selection for the provision of 6000 sets of PPP was scheduled to be finalised in February.

Since October 2004, representative SEv.1 capabilities have been tested through extensive field evaluation activities by 1RAR. Further developmental feedback has been gained through operational deployments including the Solomon Islands in 2004, and through three years of scientific and field evaluation undertaken by the Land Systems Division of DMO.

Land 125 is well on the way to defining the next evolution of capabilities to be delivered as part of Soldier Enhancement version two (SEv.2) in the functional areas of C4I, Lethality, and Survivability. C4I enhancements will be centred on a Battle Management System - Dismounted (BMS-D), to improve situational awareness through the provision of voice and data communications at the tactical level. Improved lethality will incorporate a modular weapon system based on an enhanced version of the F88 Steyr integrated with improved surveillance and target acquisition devices. Survivability enhancements will see improvements in combat body armour and the provision of laser and ballistic eye protection as well as improved hearing protection.

A similar acquisition strategy to SEv.1 will be applied to SEv.2 capabilities. Representative SEv.2 capabilities (both military and commercial 'off the shelf" systems) will be trialed through extensive field evaluation activities with a Developmental Test Bed (DTB) Battalion to establish an enhanced capability baseline.

Project Land 125's vision for evolutionary enhancement of close combat capability is demonstrative of DMO's reform agenda, Sharp believes, re-prioritising to swiftly deliver capability consistent with Capability Development Group requirements. Aggressive delivery milestones are underpinned by an integrated approach across DMO, with close ties formed across related projects such as Land 132, Land 91 Ph.6, Land 75 and JP 2072.

Strong industry relations remain pivotal to each soldier enhancement, says the DMO, and are achieved through clear and consistent communication of the Land 125 acquisition strategy to industry. Industry has been responsive to field evaluation activities and the evolutionary acquisition approach which has delivered an unprecedented understanding of Defence capability requirements.

Project Land 40 Phase 1, Direct Fire Guided Weapon, is delivering the Javelin weapon system to Australian Regular Army infantry, cavalry and Special Forces units. The project has an approved budget in excess of $140m and is purchasing Command Launch Units, ammunition, training systems and logistic support under a US Foreign Military Sales deal.

Javelin is already operationally deployed, with trained personnel and logistics support; an achievement well in advance of the Project's schedule. It is a medium range, fire and forget anti-armour system with a secondary capability against helicopters and bunkers. The system has already been used in anger by Australian Special Forces and Army believes it will become a key force multiplier in the future.

A difference between the Australian and US systems is the Javelin Outdoor Training System. A key training simulator for the Javelin weapon system, it was delivered twelve months ahead of the original schedule. It provides a much enhanced precision gunnery training and force on force collective training capability, and complements the Javelin Basic Skills Trainers already issued to all units receiving the Javelin.

The Javelin Outdoor Training System is a weapons effects simulator consisting of a simulated round, and is used with an Instructor Station designed to provide real time video monitoring and recording capability in either an indoor or outdoor environment. The simulated round is used with the Javelin Command Launch Unit in a similar manner to that of a real missile. It enables the simulation of all operator actions and drills to engage targets out to 2000m. The integrated Saab BT46 Class 1 (eye-safe) laser is used to register a hit (or miss) on the target, which would be fitted with either the in-service OSCMAR Combat Vehicle Tactical Engagement System or the Saab retro-reflector unit. The Instructor Station provides the functionality of capturing images of the engagement process. These images can be down-loaded and viewed on the Instructor Station as part of the training debrief after a force on force exercise, or viewed "live" when being used for gunnery training.

The early delivery of the state of the art simulator, along with eight Instructor Stations, has been achieved by the close cooperation between the Raytheon/Lockheed Martin Javelin Joint Venture, Saab Training Systems and the Project Office. The early delivery of the system enabled introduction into service training of unit instructors to be conducted at the School of Infantry in November 2005. Full delivery of the Javelin Command Launch Units to units is on track to be complete by July.

The introduction into service of the Land 17 indirect fire system in 2011-2012 is expected to revolutionise the way in which the Royal Australian Artillery will operate into the 21st century. The Land 17 Artillery Replacement Project is seeking to replace Army's existing fleet of 105mm and 155mm guns with a new 155mm indirect fire 'system of systems' that has greater range, lethality and responsiveness. Aside from the physical delivery platforms, the project will also introduce a network-enabled command and control system and a new family of Artillery Delivered High Precision Munitions (ADHPM).

The replacement system will be characterised by integrated modern systems, linked by a distributed data and communications network where individual platforms will have the ability to operate autonomously if required. Responsiveness and the ability to operate with coalition partners will be greatly enhanced and dated operating procedures based around old technology will be a thing of the past. Crew protection will also be a high priority as Army seeks a modern system that improves both the survivability and effectiveness of the indirect fire system and personnel when operating on the modern battlefield against a range of potential threats.
Another vital component of the scope of the Land 17 project is the provision of a new ADHPM capability. As any Gunner would state, the munition is the true weapon of artillery, the platform being simply the means of getting it where it is needed. Army continues to develop options for the precision capability acquired under Land 17. The experience of current operations makes it increasingly apparent that the maintenance of an artillery delivered precision munition capability, particularly in an environment where collateral damage and the minimising of casualties due to fratricide is a high priority. The ADHPM capability, along with new 155mm munitions provided under the Medium Artillery Replacement Ammunition Project will complete the Land 17 system solution.

The DMO's Colin Sharp told ADM in February Project Land 17 is on track for 1st pass consideration this month.

For the Australian Light Armoured Vehicle (ASLAV) program 2005 was characterised by two challenges: meeting the timeframes set by Government for the deployment of a significant number of vehicles to Iraq, and leveraging industry partnerships to achieve these timeframes. The close partnership which have developed between the ASLAV Program and contractors shifted into high gear to ensure both goals were met.

The response from industry was nothing short of remarkable, says the DMO. The immediate need was to provide a range of survivability enhancements to mitigate the risk of operating in the complex terrain and high-threat environment of Iraq. The ASLAV, a light, agile, hard-hitting platform designed for cavalry operations in northern Australia, would require a range of survivability enhancements - including spall liners, a bar armour system and a remote weapon station - prior to deployment; some - such as the bar armour system - progressed from design to delivery in a matter of weeks. This solid partnering with industry continued off-shore, when a team of military, defence civilians and contractors deployed to Kuwait to complete the application of the spall liners to deployed vehicles.

These enhancements have been well received by crews. The bar armour and spall liners contribute to the ASLAV's current ballistic armour and fire suppression system to provide the highest level of protection available within its weight class. The Kongsberg Remote Weapon Station is installed on personnel carrier and support variants, and mount either a 12.7mm machine gun or 40mm Auto Grenade Launcher which provide high accuracy and an impressive level of system reliability, say DMO sources.

This year will see the completion of the Behind Armour Commander's Weapon Station (BACWS) Project with the installation of the last of the 59 Kongsberg RWSs ordered.

Local industry and defence teaming arrangements continue to make a significant contribution to the success of the ASLAV Program, both in acquisition and sustainment terms. The Land Engineering Agency's Prototype Engineering Centre provided valuable assistance to the upgrade of the ASLAVs. The Prototype Engineering Centre designed and built the Remote Weapon Station integration kits and manufactured the shipping cases for the Bar Armour System.

In addition to supporting operations, 2005 saw significant progress in the development of all the projects within the ASLAV program. The much-delayed Crew Procedural Trainer Project passed Prototype in October, following resolution of software problems relating to the modelling of fall of shot of the 12.7mm and 7.62mm weapons used in different variants.

The ASLAV-S Surveillance variant reached contract signature in August and preliminary design review in December. Some 18 vehicles will be modified to carry AMSTAR radars and thermal imaging sensors on a telesco
According to DMO's Colin Sharp this project is on track to deliver the first 16 M1A1 Abrams tank by the end of 2008, with the remainder following in 2009. Sharp told ADM the first two Australian tanks should emerge from the refurbishment/upgrade line at general Dynamics' Lima, Ohio, plant later this year. In parallel, the crew gunnery training systems developed by Lockheed Martin are on track for delivery ahead of the first tanks themselves.

At the time of writing 112 Bushmaster Infantry Mobility vehicles had been delivered under Project 116 - Bushranger, with the remainder due for delivery by about mid-2007. The vehicles are performing well in southern Iraq and have proved popular with their crews, ADM understands.

Operational Test and Evaluation had identified the potential for what DMO terms 'ballistic leakage' in narrow quadrants around the front and rear of the vehicle. DMO's Colin Sharp told ADM in February these had been fixed and that, pending the fix, soldiers had compensated by wearing flak vests and helmets within the vehicle. The overall protection and mobility afforded by the Bushmaster to the Al Muthanna Task Group more than outweighed a relatively slight risk to the soldier, pending the successful development and testing of the ballistics fix.

The M113 Upgrade project is upgrading 350 of the Australian Army's current fleet of vehicles, at a total project cost of about $550 million, to meet the demands of the modern battlefield.

As described in detail in the December-January 2006 edition of ADM, significant elements of the upgrade include refurbishing the hulls, replacing the entire driveline and suspension, replacing the Vietnam era T50 turret with a totally new Australian-designed one man turret and providing significantly enhanced vehicle protection. Some 271 of the 350 vehicles will have stretched hulls and an additional wheel station to overcome issues with space and weight limitations. The end result, says DMO, will be some of the best protected M113s in the world, vehicles designed to operate in Australia's harsh environment as part of a combined arms team. Once upgraded, vehicles will be redesignated as M113AS3 (15 Tonne gross vehicle mass) or M113AS4 (18 Tonne gross vehicle mass).

Prime contractor Tenix Defence Land Division is currently building 14 Initial production Vehicles (IPV), three of which began Reliability and Qualification Testing (RQT) at Puckapunyal and Monegeeta in January. The DMO is pleased with their performance so far, reported Colin Sharp, and RQT testing is due for completion in May. The Production Readiness Review (PRR) should then clear the program for full-rate production at Puckapunyal.

Later in 2006 the project will undertake design acceptance testing of the Armoured Fitters (AF) and the Armoured Recovery Vehicle Light (ARVL), continuing design of the remaining four variants and, subject to the PRR, deliver an initial company of 16 vehicles to 5/7 RAR at Robertson Barracks, Darwin.

ADM gratefully acknowledges the assistance of DMO Land Systems Division in compiling project data for this feature.

By Gregor Ferguson, Adelaide