The announcement that the next generation of patrol boats for Navy will be fast-tracked has now thrown somewhat of a question-mark over project Sea 1180, which was to deliver a modular solution for three types of vessel: Patrol boats, mine warfare ships and hydrographic survey vessels.

At the end of 2012, then Minister for Defence Stephen Smith and then Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare announced a new facility for testing submarine systems, including propulsion, energy and integration technology, would be based in Adelaide. Fast forward and industry is helping the Sea 1000 program office bring the facility requirements together.

NSM, a 50-50 joint venture (JV) between Babcock Australia and UGL Infrastructure (UGL), was awarded the $300 million Anzac Major Fleet Unit Group Maintenance Contract in May last year. Two weeks later DMO asked if the critical Phase-In period could be cut from eight to five months.

The announcement in the 2013 Defence White Paper that Navy’s Armidale Patrol Boat replacement program will be fast-tracked has been widely received by industry as a logical step, particularly given the increased efforts to keep the existing boats at sea for much more time than originally envisaged.

Operating in the littoral environmental requires a number of complementary technologies and practices for the ADF.

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.

The skills needed to operate future RAN task groups have been boosted by recent deployments of what are arguably the RAN’s two most capable surface combat assets, the guided missile frigate HMAS Sydney and the upgraded Anzac class frigate HMAS Perth.

With the elevation to Treaty level of the Australia-UK bilateral defence and security relationship, fresh impetus has been given to the possibility of renewed collaboration in defence procurement between Australia and the UK.

The future of the RAN’s trouble-prone Remora submarine rescue vessel will be determined in the near future, with strong indications that its return to service is unlikely given the success to date of Navy’s current contractor-provided submarine escape and rescue capability.

The use of unmanned vehicles on land, sea and in the air is on the increase with defence forces around the world and although aerial vehicles tend to capture the spotlight, unmanned platforms are displaying huge potential in the other two domains.

I wouldn’t normally write something like this for ADM but I thought the experience had to be shared. I was lucky enough to spend 24 hours on board HMAS Sheean with a shattered crew who had just finished their return to service trials.

An enhanced support regime and improved teamwork are allowing the RAN’s 14-strong fleet of Armidale-class patrol boats to again meet designated availability requirements notwithstanding a punishing operational tempo and continuing problems with cracking of their aluminium hulls and superstructures.

Australia’s four operational Collins-class submarines are set to gain a welcome boost in capability over the next couple of months, with the widely anticipated service release of the upgraded Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System Heavy Weight Torpedo.

The company will brief Australian Defence officials on the US Navy Knifefish program and consider ways to offer it to the RAN (should US export clearance be made available at some point in the future) within the framework of Sea 1778 Phase 1, the RANs Deployable MCM – Organic Mine Countermeasures project.

Should this country eventually decide that the design of the UK’s Type 26 Global Combat Ship would most closely satisfy the requirements of the Sea 5000 future frigate program, then its introduction into RAN service would almost certainly be based on the local build of an ASW version, and Australianised in terms of combat systems, sensors, weapons and habitability. It must also have long legs and be compatible for operations with the US Pacific Fleet.

Recognising the challenges ahead in managing the transition from the Collins class to the Sea 1000 future submarine, Sean Williams, Head of Engineering Strategy for Babcock Pty Ltd, looks at the approach being taken in the UK where similar challenges are being addressed.