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Hydro
therapy
A
day with the ‘droggies’ in Wollongong
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Crest
of the Hydrographic Force Element Group.
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The
Hydrographic Force Element Group (Hydro FEG), plays a vital role
in the RAN, and yet few people really understand who they are and
what it is they do.
Let’s start with who they are. Headed by CAPT Bruce Kafer,
the Hydro FEG is made up of approximately 250 military staff, including
ships’ companies and those involved with technical development,
training, administration and logistics. There are also about 100
Defence civilians including cartographers, IT specialists, data
managers and those in the sections of administration, logistics
support and technical development.
There are two hydrographic ships, HMAS Leeuwin and Melville (currently
involved in OP Relex) and four survey motor launches, Paluma, Benalla,
Shepparton and Mermaid.
In addition, there is one Laser Airborne Depth Sounder (LADS) flight,
eight survey motor boats, a detached survey unit including an Antarctic
survey vessel, and of course, the Wollongong Hydro office.
There are essentially three parts to the FEG, those being the Hydrographic
Operations and Capability group and the charting and information
group, who both work closely with the oceanographic and meteorological
element. Ok, so now we know who they are, let’s explore what
the Hydro FEG does.
Australia’s area of charting responsibility covers 13.3 million
square nautical miles, a massive area by any measure.
The Hydro FEG conducts military surveys of beaches, anchorages for
amphibious forces, boat lanes for amphibious landings, routes for
minefield transits, mine warfare operations and provide logistics
support to minor war vessels. They also provide oceanographic data
in support of submarine and anti-submarine operations and meteorological
data in support of air, maritime and land operations.
The Hydrographic Service also produces a wide range of products
and is responsible to the Commonwealth Government for the publication
of official nautical charts, including traditional paper charts
and Notices to Mariners.
Of note, the Hydro FEG recently released Electronic Navigational
Chart (ENC) data sets to replace paper charts and is trialling a
print-on-demand capability for charts. Instead of the traditional
method of printing, this print-on-demand technology will involve
printing charts on request via large format plotters, instead of
traditional printing methods.
All in all, the Hydro FEG, though a relatively small group, is an
efficient, busy unit under constant pressure to provide Australia,
and the world, safe navigation and the freedom to manoeuvre freely
in Australian waters.
So next time you see the navigator’s charts on the bridge,
think about the amount of work that has gone into the production
of that chart and say ‘thank you’ to the Navy’s Hydro
FEG. By the way, happy birthday to the Hydro Service who 82 years
old on Oct 1.
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