Annual Report 2004-05

Outcome Two: Navy Capabilities

Capability Performance Information

Output 2.8Capability for Hydrographic, Meteorological and Oceanographic Operations

This output provides a capability for hydrographic, meteorological and oceanographic operations comprising two Leeuwin-class hydrographic ships and their embarked survey motor boats, four Paluma-class survey motor launches, a laser airborne depth sounder aircraft and the hydrographic office deployable survey unit, all supported by the Australian Hydrographic Office in Wollongong, New South Wales. Meteorological and Oceanographic support is conducted by mobile teams, the Operational Meteorological and Oceanographic Centre, the Defence Oceanographic Data Centre, the Fleet Weather and Oceanographic Centre in Sydney, and the Naval Air Station Weather and Oceanographic Centre in Nowra, New South Wales.

The Australian Hydrographic Office resources have been refocused on production of electronic navigation charts to support increasing Defence and commercial use of computer based navigation systems.

	Performance Targets	Performance
	Achieve levels of preparedness directed by the Chief of the Defence Force for military response options with a warning time of less than 12 months.	Substantially Achieved. Levels of preparedness were substantially achieved. The limited availability of survey motor launch watchkeepers, the sea-keeping limitations of the hydrographic ships and the down time of the laser airborne depth sounder aircraft due to engine failure precluded the achievement of all preparedness requirements.
	Achieve a level of training that maintains core skills and professional standards to conduct survey tasking, produce navigational information and provision of oceanographic and meteorological support.	Achieved. Core skills were maintained in all units. The laser airborne depth sounder aircraft conducted a successful remote deployment during 2004-05 and detached camp capabilities in the hydrographic ships were reinvigorated.
	Achieve mission capability for assigned tasks.	Achieved. 98 per cent (1,982 days) for the ships and launches. Class achievements: Hydrographic ships - 95 per cent (658 days). The under achievement was due to defects on the integrated control system and minor equipment defects. Survey motor launches - 100 per cent (1,324 days).
	Achieve HydrOcscheme 2004-07 data and surveying tasking requirements to meet national hydrographic surveying and charting obligations.(1)	Substantially Achieved. 86 per cent. Units recorded 1,049 Survey/Sortie Days Achieved from 1,220 Survey/Sortie Days Planned(2).
	2 hydrographic ships - 713 URD.	2 hydrographic ships - 97 per cent (691 URD achieved). The underachievement was due to extended slipping periods for both platforms due to hull damage incurred during previous slippings.
	4 survey motor launches - 1,324 URD.	4 survey motor launches - 100 per cent (1,324 URD achieved).
	1 laser airborne depth sounder aircraft - 697 flying hours for surveying.	1 laser airborne depth sounder aircraft - 100 per cent (697 hours) for surveying was achieved, despite unscheduled maintenance.
	1 Hydrographic office deployable survey unit - availability 355 days; with - planned deployments 162 days.	1 hydrographic office deployable survey unit - 103 per cent (365 days availability) and 128 per cent (208 deployment days). The over achievement was due to the unscheduled participation in Operation Sumatra Assist I and II.
	Chart Production: - New charts/editions - 25;	188 per cent (47 new charts/editions were produced and published). The over achievement in new chart production was necessitated by a legal requirement to incorporate designated shipping areas, and was made possible by use of datasets prepared for the Great Barrier Reef project.
	- New charts/diagrams for use by the Navy - 12; and	100 per cent (12 new charts/diagrams were produced).
	- Electronic navigational chart cells - 84.	86 electronic navigational chart cells were produced (102 per cent). Additional electronic navigational chart cells were produced for the Great Barrier Reef project and Tamar River.

Notes

1. The Hydrographic and Oceanographic Scheme, referred to as the HydrOcscheme 2004-07, is the national hydrographic surveying and charting program.
2. Survey/Sortie Days Planned (SDP) comprises all days in a specific, survey deployment in accordance with the HydrOcscheme 2004-07.