Defence

Defence Materiel Organisation

Final ANZAC ship: on schedule and on budget

By Dr Stephen Gumley

HMAS ANZAC commissioned into service
Photo provided by DMO

At $7 billion (2006 dollars), the ANZAC Ship contract is the largest single defence contract ever awarded in Australia. It entailed a major commitment from Government, Defence and Australian industry to achieve local content and defence offsets of over 80 per cent of the prime contract's value.

This contract also instigated the wider benefits that have flowed into the Australian economy: access to foreign technology, local technological advancement, better business practices, increased export opportunities, and an improved defence industry capability for the benefit of all Australians.

After signing the prime contract between the Commonwealth and Tenix Defence on 10 November 1989, the first ANZAC Ship, HMAS ANZAC was commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy 18 May 1996. The last, the tenth—HMAS Perth—was delivered on budget and on schedule on 16 June 2006. This marked a 10-year era of project excellence and ended what is arguably the largest and most successful naval construction program in Australia's history.

HMAS Warramunga in action
Photo provided by DMO

By any measure the ANZAC Ships have been a remarkable achievement. At the outset, the ships' systems worked, and worked well. Over the past ten years these ships have become the workhorses of the Royal Australian Navy, defending Australia's overseas interests throughout the oceans of the world. HMAS ANZAC has already steamed 348 858 nautical miles—the equivalent of over 16 times the circumference of our planet. She has spent in excess of 1234 days actually underway, or an average of 150 normal working days at sea per year.

ANZAC Ships have also provided gunfire support to British forces ashore on the Al Faw Peninsula during the second Gulf War in 2003 and have maintained the frontline in the Persian Gulf operations. They have arrested, in extreme weather conditions, illegal fishermen near Heard Island and played a pivotal role patrolling against people smugglers in our northern waters. The ANZAC Ships will continue to represent Australia in our most dangerous and demanding situations. The Government will ensure that their military capability will continue to be enhanced to meet the evolving contemporary threat.

Rapid acquisition of upgrade for Chinook helicopters deploying to Afghanistan

The upgrade to the Chinook Helicopters included a countermeasures dispensing system.
Photo provided by DMO

Chinook Helicopters on deployment.
Photo provided by DMO

In November 2005, the Government initiated a $A25 million upgrade to the Australian Chinook Helicopters to support the Special Operations Task Group in Afghanistan. The aim was to provide the best possible equipment for the demanding operational and environmental conditions confronting Australian forces deployed in Afghanistan. DMO was responsible for the ensuing extensive and complex acquisition and modification program that took place within a very tight timeframe. The result was that all modifications were completed in time for deployment in mid March 2006.

The modifications included day head-up display, additional weaponry, a countermeasures dispensing system, ballistic protection, and advanced secure communications. These were completed in a very compressed timeframe so that our soldiers were equipped to the best possible standard for the threat environment. DMO worked closely with Army Aviation, contractors, the broader Army, and the Royal Australian Air Force to produce a high-quality result.

The rapid acquisition program is continuing to upgrade the remainder of the fleet and will include an external hoist, an enhanced missile warning system and improved aircrew equipment. The aircraft are now operating in theatre and are providing critical support to the Australian Special Forces Task Group.

[ top of page ]