Now that HMAS Armidale has been commissioned On Target looks at the Armidale Class Patrol Boat Project to see how it achieved such a rapid acquisition.

On 24th June 2005 HMAS Armidale, the Navy’s first Armidale Class Patrol Boat (ACPB), was commissioned in Darwin , 18 months after the $552.8 million contact was designed on 17 December 2003. This outstanding achievement was a collaborative effort involving Austal Ships (the shipbuilder), Defence Maritime Services (DMS - the prime contractor), CEA (communications), Electrotech (navigation), Rafael (weapon) and other suppliers, as well of the DMO project office and others.

Work is currently being finalised to complete Navy’s product performance criteria demonstration prior to initial operational release of HMAS Armidale. Defects and discrepancies from this first of class demonstration have been logged into a comprehensive database with corrective work currently being undertaken to address them on a Class-Wide basis. Construction of the second and third Armidale Class Boats has progressed well for delivery in September and October 2005 respectively. The construction of follow-on boats has also commenced and will be delivered in batches of two at four monthly intervals.

Following a competitive tender process, Defence contracted DMS to deliver and maintain 12 Armidale Class Patrol Boats for 15 years, with a five year extension option to replace the aging Fremantle Class Patrol Boats.

The contract requires the 12 ACPBs to deliver up to 3600 sea days per year. The single contract is for a fixed cost build, followed by fixed cost for support (based on a fee per day for the boats made available). This single contract provides strong incentives for the contractor to design the boats and associated support with a design-for-life emphasis and on contraining through life costs. A contract change to include the two additional boats to enhance the security of Australia’s North West Shelf resource and infrastructure base, funded by Government in the May 2005 budget, is yet to be finalised.

Design and Performance

The ACPBs have been designed, constructed and will be maintained to Det Norske Veritas classification society rules, supplemented by Navy technical regulatory and safety rules, where required to meet Naval requirements.

Eighteen RAN crews will operate the 12 boats providing increased capability in performance and availability compared with the 15 Fremantle Class Patrol Boats for no increase in net operating costs.

The Navy crew of the HMAS Armidale, who took part in the trials, advised ARMIDALE is built to task. She has cutting edge surveillance and communications systems, two 7.2m jet RHIBs (rigid hull inflatable boats) and two dedicated boarding teams, not to mention size, stability, range and endurance. She has set the standard for habitability, with the crew enjoying a maximum of four bunks per cabin, 12 ensuites, a huge galley and satellite TV. The charts are electronic and the machinery spaces are unmanned, as is the deadly accurate 25mm Rafael Typhoon cannon slaved to two electro-optic directors.

Innovations

The project involved many innovations and broke new ground in project management within the DMO.

A fundamental innovation was to specify the required capability in outcomes, for example, up to 3600 days per annum availability, whilst using a combined acquisition and support contract with payments conditional on, and proportionate to, the achievement of performance outcomes.

The majority of support functions are the responsibility of DMS under contractual arrangements. Those support aspects for which the Commonwealth retains responsibility are limited to reduce pressure on uniformed personnel and improve cost effectiveness.

The Armidale Class Patrol Boat Project has set many new benchmarks for DMO project management. This has been recognised by the nomination of this project for this year’s Project Management Achievement Awards of the Australian Institute of Project Management. The project’s achievement is also recognised by DMO Maritime Systems Head, Rear Admiral Ruting, in his Award which commended the unstinting efforts of the project team in achieving a most successful project.