Projects

SEA 1448 Phases 2A/2B – ANZAC Class Anti-Ship Missile Defence (ASMD)

Mission Statement Project Overview Current Status Contacts

Project Mission Statement

To provide the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) with an enhanced ANZAC Class warfighting capability by providing an increased level of self defence against modern anti-ship missiles.

The future ANZAC Class fitted with the Anti-Ship Missile Defence System.

Project Overview

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The ability to provide warships with sustained protection against anti-ship missile attack is an essential element of Australia's maritime capability.

The ASMD upgrades will ensure the ANZAC Class Frigates have an increased level of self defence against modern anti-ship missiles.

Key improvements to upgrade sensors and weapon systems in Phase 2A include:

• Installation of an infra-red search and track system (IRST) providing improved detection and indication of low level aircraft and anti-ship missiles when close to land.

• Improvements to the existing fire control radar to increase the detection and engagement range against anti-ship missiles.

• Improvements to the command and control system to shorten the time between detection and engagement of anti-ship missiles and improve the overall tactical information flow in the operations room.

The new layout for the ANZAC Class Operations Room
being delivered under the ASMD Project

The Project will deliver an initial in-service operational capability by mid 2011 followed by an extended operational evaluation period of 12 months. As part of the overall de-risking philosophy with this new leading edge radar technology, the ASMD capability is being fielded and confirmed in a single ship initially (HMAS PERTH) prior to other ships within the Class being modified. Initial fit-out into HMAS PERTH occurs from January 2010.

Key improvements to upgrade sensors and weapons in Phase 2B include

• A CEAFAR active phased array radar system being developed by CEA Technologies, an Australian company based in Fyshwick, Canberra ACT, will offer significant enhancements over conventional radars to provide target indication and tracking of supersonic anti-ship missiles; and

• A CEAMOUNT active phased array radar system, also being developed by CEA, will be fitted to provide mid-course guidance and terminal illumination for the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile. This will deliver multiple channels of fire, and enable more than one missile to be controlled in flight.

Project Staff taking delivery of the first Phased Array Radar Faces from CEA Technologies in July 2008

Platform modifications to support the installation of the new equipment (includes changes to the forward and aft masts and upgrades to electrical power, Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) and platform Control and Monitoring (C+M) system; and shore facility upgrades to the ANZAC Ship Support Centre at HMAS STIRLING and the Combat System Tactical Trainer at HMAS WATSON.

Current Status

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Where we are today (July 2009)
As of July 2009, the Project Team is pleased to announce that we have:

• Successfully conducted the final design reviews for the ASMD System hardware and the Mk3E Combat Management System software in August 2008;
• Accepted delivery from CEA Technologies of our first ship’s production Phased Array radar faces and control equipment as of 30 June 2009;
• Nearing completion of HMAS PERTH’s new FWD and AFT masts (due for completion November 2009);
• Successfully conducted the final design reviews for the overall ASMD System integration;
• Completed the integration of Upgraded Combat Management System hardware and Infra Red Search and Track System into our integration site in the dedicated ASMD Building within the ANZAC System Support Centre (ASSC) at HMAS STIRLING in Western Australia. We are also well into the system integration testing for the complete ASMD System with scheduled completion date of December 2009;
• Successfully conducted a risk reduction demonstration of the production hardware for theCEAFAR phased array radar at sea in HMAS PERTH during the period 17-20 November 2008. Read the Ministerial Press Release on this significant milestone completion here;

Project Staff, Navy Stakeholders and CEA Staff during the successful risk reduction sea demonstration of the CEAFAR system in HMAS PERTH 17-20 Nov 08

• Successfully completed the third practical demonstration of the CEA Active Phased Array Radar at CEA’s premises in Fyshwick ACT, on 2 April 2009. The demonstration provided a confidence point and risk reduction opportunity within the constraints of the factory test environment, demonstrating that the production CEAFAR radar (two faces) and its associated software is capable of integrating with a single face of the production CEAMOUNT illuminator, leading to a higher level of confidence that the fully integrated PAR System will operate correctly; and
• Successfully demonstrated on 22 May 2009 that the Royal Australian Navy’s Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) was compatible with the CEAMOUNT system. The activity demonstrated signal compatibility of a ship 1 production CEAMOUNT face with an Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile.

ASMD Project Team Members at the ESSM–CEAMOUNT compatibility demonstration in May 2009

Project Management

Acquisition is being conducted through a Commonwealth led Project Authority in Canberra with a prime contract with CEA Technologies (a Fyshwick, ACT based company) who is providing the Phased Array Radars systems whilst acquisition/project management and ship integration effort is being provided by the ANZAC Ship Integrated Material Support Program Alliance (ASIPA) between the Commonwealth, BAE Defence Systems and Saab Systems.

Contacts

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CAPT Rob Elliott, RAN
Director
ANZAC Class Anti-Ship Missile Defence Project
Major Surface Ships Branch
Russell Offices
CANBERRA ACT 2600
Telephone: (02) 6265 1977 / (0447) 553 440
Facsimile:   (02) 6266 0154

Last Updated: 16 July 2009.