Projects
SEA 1442 - Maritime Communications Modernisation
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Introduction Phase 3 Phase 4 Future Phases Australian Industry Involvement Contacts |
Introduction
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SEA 1442 is a multi-phased Program that will enhance the Royal Australian Navy’s maritime communications capability in support of the Australian Defence Force’s Network Centric Warfare (NCW) concept. The Program will make significant contributions towards a ‘Networked Navy’ to support the Navy’s objective of fighting and winning at sea.
The SEA 1442 Program aims to develop standards based open and evolvable architecture that will provide the foundation for future maritime communication systems integration and implementation.
The Program will upgrade and automate systems to deliver a greater level of useability and flexibility to the warfighter at sea. It will integrate existing and new communications bearers and information systems into a coherent system to transfer information within and between ships at sea, and shore. The SEA 1442 program will enable increased level of utilisation of those capabilities being delivered to maritime platforms by other projects such as MILSATCOM (JP 2008) and High Frequency Modernisation (JP 2043).
SEA 1442 Program currently consists of the following phases:
Phase 3 – Initial Capability.
Overview - Phase 3 is the first acquisition phase of the Program. It will provide initial capability in the form of introducing a Maritime Tactical Wide Area Network (MTWAN), network management, and replacement message handling system software for all eight ANZAC Frigates, four guided missile frigates (FFGs), HMAS MANOORA, HMAS KANIMBLA, and HMAS SUCCESS.
The Maritime Tactical Wide Area Network will provide packet based switching for all security levels within a ship, enabling applications on those networks to access line-of-sight and beyond line-of-sight communications bearers (such as MILSATCOM, INMARSAT, UHF, etc). This capability will provide much improved access to rich media types including video, chat, web browsing, email and databases by interfacing existing shipboard LANs with existing bearers over an IP based packet switched infrastructure.
The MTWAN hardware will include network infrastructure, cryptographic devices and RF interfaces, compliant with Allied Communications Publication (ACP) 200 – Maritime Tactical Wide Area Networking protocols and procedures.
Phase 3 Schedule and Estimated Expenditure
Schedule – The schedule highlights for Phase 3 include:
- Contract Award - May 2006
- Initial Operational Capability - 2009
Estimated Expenditure – The estimated expenditure for Phase 3 is $45m.
Latest News – Thales Australia, Prime Systems Integrator for the project, achieved Detailed Design milestone in November 2008. First installation (Shore Gateway and Network Operations Centre) at Defence Communications Station – Sydney starts December 2008.
Phase 4 – Major Capability.
Overview - Phase 4 will be a major step towards the Australian Defence Force Network Centric Warfare concept in the maritime environment. The Project will contribute towards the goal of high capacity and high quality voice and data connectivity for the warfighter at sea to facilitate a greater level of situational awareness and decision superiority.
SEA 1442 Phase 4 will provide increased level of communication systems integration within ships and with other platforms. This may include provision of integrated communications planning and configuration, distributed network management, and replacement radios, switches, and voice communication systems. The Maritime Tactical Wide Area Network implemented in Phase 3 will be also be upgraded.
Phase 4 is in capability definition stage of the project life-cycle. The platforms to be upgraded and the level of upgrade within each platform will be determined during this stage.
Schedule – The key milestone target dates for Phase 4 are:
- First Pass Approval – 2009
- Second Pass Approval – 2012
These dates are subject to change.
Estimated Expenditure – The estimated budget for Phase 4 is $200m - $250m.
Future SEA1442 Phases
Defence may identify further phases to ensure evolution towards maritime NCW goals and continuation of the modernisation program.
Australian Industry Involvement
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SEA 1442 will offer significant opportunities for Australian Industry Involvement throughout the life cycle of the Program, particularly in the areas of systems engineering, integration, and through-life support. Identified needs will vary from phase to phase but include:- Project Management;
- Mobile Military Communications;
- Military Systems Integration;
- Systems Engineering; and
- Through Life Support.
Points of Contact
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DMO – SEA 1442: |
Capability Staff: |
Program Director - |
CMDR Ian McConachie, |
Telephone: (02) 6265 7515 |
Telephone: (02) 6265 1316 |
Phase 3 Project Manager - |
LCDR Jeff Milward
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Phase 4 Project Manager - |
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Telephone: (02) 6265 4839 |
Last Updated: 2 December 2008
