Projects

SEA 1442 - Maritime Communications Modernisation

Introduction Phase 3 Phase 4 Future Phases Australian Industry Opportunities Contacts

Latest News

SEA1442 Phase 4 RFT released 11 April 2011 and closes 08 August 2011.

Navy granted Initial Operational Release for the SEA1442 Phase 3 System in December 2010.

Introduction

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.

Phase 3 – Initial Capability

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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), LPA Class ships, 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.

Prime Acquisition and Sustainment Contracts were awarded to Thales Australia in 2006.

Latest Update – MTWAN has been installed at the Defence Communications Station – Sydney and in HMA Ships NEWCASTLE, MELBOURNE, WARRAMUNGA, SYDNEY, SUCCESS, PERTH and DARWIN. Training systems have also been installed at HMAS CERBERUS and HMAS STIRLING. Installation in remaining ships will be completed as they become available.

Phase 4 – Major Capability

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First to Second Pass Activities

Open Request for Tender (RFT) for the acquisition and support of the SEA1442 Phase 4 capability was released on 11 April 2011 and will close on 08 August 2011. The tender will seek a Prime Contractor for the design, development, integration and installation of the mission system in the ANZAC class ships and associated support system, and sustainment of the delivered capability.

The mission system will include:

• upgraded radio system to support wideband network communications;
• communications management;
• communications switching;
• secure voice and tactical intercom;and
• high data rate line-of-sight radio communications.

The support system will include:

• training system; and
• System Integration and Test Facility.

Maximum use of Commercial-off-the-Shelf (COTS) and Military-off-the-Shelf (MOTS) products is sought.

Milestones Achieved:

• Government First Pass Approval – December 2010
• RFT released 11 April 2011

Milestones Planned:

• Year-of-Decision - FY 2012-13 to FY 2014-15

Estimated Expenditure

$300m-$500m (low end of the band)

Acquisition Category

The ACAT level assessed for this Phase is ACAT II

Future SEA1442 Phases

Phase 5 has been identified in the Defence Capability Plan 2009. Defence may identify further phases to ensure evolution towards maritime NCW goals and continuation of the modernisation program.

Refer to the Defence Capability Plan 2009 (December 2010 update) for more details.

Australian Industry Opportunities

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Acquisition

Opportunities for Australian industry exist in the field of naval communications. In particular, project management, systems engineering, integrated logistics support, verification and validation, and systems integration into naval platforms. These skill sets will form the basis for the through-life support skills also needed from Australian industry.

Through-life Support

The industry requirements will be based on developing and maintaining sufficient capability within Australian industry to undertake a full range of through-life support activities.

Points of Contact

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DMO – SEA 1442:	Capability Staff:
Program Director - Telephone: (02) 6265 7515
Phase 3 Project Manager - Telephone: (02) 6265 3493	Staff Officer Communications, RAN Telephone: (02) 6265 5202
Phase 4 Project Manager - Telephone: (02) 6265 4839

Last Updated: June 2011