Air Vice-Marshal John Monaghan, Chief Information Officer, is responsible for the delivery of the Defence Information Environment.
2005–06 was a year of consolidation for the Chief Information Officer Group, as we pursue an extensive reform program while ensuring Defence has an integrated, dependable and secure information environment to support Defence business and military operations.
Our highest priority is supporting military operations, which in 2005–06 operated at a very high tempo. We are the strategic-level communications adviser to the Chief of Joint Operations, and the lead technical authority for command, control, communication and computer systems support to operations. During the year, we planned and implemented communication systems for operations in the Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Indonesia, Iraq, Afghanistan and Lebanon.
In addition to operating our Defence payloads on Optus satellites, and negotiating access to United Kingdom and United States defence satellites and terrestrial bearers, we have maintained strategic communications with deployed forces through 450Mhz leased broadband commercial satellite circuits, and provided a total coverage of three quarters of the earth's surface, at a cost of $13m. Deployed forces were also provided with narrowband satellite services (130,000 hours) at a cost of $30m.
The Group worked closely with the Services and the DMO to provide support for the rapid introduction of additional deployable infrastructure and connectivity to Defence's strategic networks to support multiple concurrent operations. Introduction and expansion of Voice-over-Internet Protocol technology for secure voice communications and the rapid development of a secure multinational network for potential deployment to Timor-Leste are two highlights.
We also made significant achievements in redeveloping Defence's information infrastructure. The Defence Wide Area Communication project (JP 2047) and a series of minor projects are delivering a major increase in capacity and functionality of our core network. A range of minor projects have also helped to simplify and optimise our Restricted and Secret networks and upgrade regional facilities in preparation for an updated Standard Operating Environment, including the new Microsoft XP system. While this has proven to be a challenging project, the completion of the Standard Operating Environment roll-out later this calendar year, combined with standardising our email systems, will be a major milestone in what has been the most significant network redevelopment since 2000. This will lay the foundation for tighter security control and more effective system administration. Other highlights include a 30 per cent expansion in our mainframe computing power to keep pace with rapidly growing transaction rates, and a revision to mainframe support arrangements to reduce cost and improve performance.
We also completed the outsourcing of our network operations and help-desk functions.While maintaining service levels through the transition and in the midst of major infrastructure upgrade has been challenging, the relationship with the contractor has been productive and cooperative in addressing all issues.
Connectivity with allies and across the Government has also been enhanced. Most notably, we have taken on the technical roll-out of United States Defence network access in Australia, and have negotiated Memorandums of Understanding for the sharing of satellite services with both United States Department of Defense, and the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence. Whole-of-government connectivity has been enhanced with Defence's connection to Fedlink and the development of a vastly improved gateway between Defence and DFAT for diplomatic cables and email.
We also made a substantial contribution to the progression of the information environment aspects of the Defence Capability Plan. With the transfer of responsibility for the enterprise personnel and financial system application development and support functions to the Group, we now have responsibility for the finance and personnel system upgrades under JP 2080. The personnel systems upgrade is at the tender stage prior to second pass approval, while the finance system upgrade is expected to achieve second pass approval this year. Other projects making substantial progress were JP2099 to enhance identity management, JP 2068 to enhance network security, JP 2054 for upgraded military messaging capability, and project Eden for introduction of a next generation document and records management system.
The Chief Information Officer Group has pursued a rigorous management reform program during 2005–06. Organisational changes implemented this year have better differentiated development and operational functions, and a quality management system has been implemented to improve process understanding and discipline. A framework for information capability strategic planning, investment approval processes, and an investment programming function have been introduced to ensure information capability investment is better coordinated, more visible to senior management, and aligned to Defence priorities. Most significantly, the Group has embarked on a major transformation of its business model for infrastructure development to increase the capacity to deliver system upgrades. Under this transformation, we are strengthening our program and project management capabilities, while creating longer term strategic relationships with industry partners, in both the planning and implementation of change.