The RAN has significantly improved its communication links at sea and ashore with the move of its satellite ground station facility from Darwin to HMAS STIRLING.

The move has been hailed a complete success by Naval Communications Area Master Station Australia (NAVCAMSAUS) CO, LCDR Peter Franklin, with the new system up and running by the April 27 deadline after the initial plan was engaged in November 2000.

"Today, there are RAN ships and our allies operationally using this new satellite facility which will not only add a new and exciting dimension to the communications support provided by NAVCALS Fremantle, but also provide a diversified employment opportunity for technical and CIS sailors in the west," LCDR Franklin said.

The relocation, achieved on budget and on time, came about with the closure of NAVCOMMSTA Darwin, while operational reasons also played a part.

The enhanced capability will also lead to the use of new satellite systems to fit into a world-wide network.

"I am immensely proud of my whole team and this is not restricted to the NAVCAMSAUS staff but to all the civilian sub-contractors, the Navy finance staff, Navy design engineers, and the support provided by HMAS STIRLING and NAVCALS Fremantle staff in particular," LCDR Franklin said.

The Technical Tiger Team proudly displays its completed work, with (L-R) ABET Craig Sutton, LSET Geoff Godber, CPOET Greg Hunton, LSET Brett Neil and ABET Nathan Cook.

"Clearly the relocation and installation of this significant ADF communication asset was a team effort, but I consider that the NAVCAMSAUS Technical Tiger Team deserves special recognition so each member of the team has been awarded a commendation for their efforts and outstanding achievement."

The Tiger Team also encountered technical obstacles to ensure the deadline was achieved, with the need to integrate a new system with older existing equipment while upgrading the entire facility to a new electrical standard being handled successfully.

The move was engaged by a small planning team, consisting of systems engineer LEUT Andrew Reichstein, WORS George Wall and CPOET Greg Hunton. WOCIS4 Michael Doncaster had the task of interpreting the plans before the Technical Tiger Team of CPO Hunton, LSET James Godber, LSET Brett Neil, ABET Nathan Cook and ABET Craig Sutton was formed.

Once the important cargo was boxed and accounted for, two drivers, POFF Ian Brook and LSMTD Robert Gillmore, made the journey from Darwin to Fremantle after some nervous moments with flood waters at Halls Gap.

A further team headed by WORS Robert Brown and the Tiger Team then set about putting the jigsaw back together, while preparing new satellite equipment racks and re-configuring computer systems.

What is NAVCAMSAUS?

The UHF satellite relocation planning team (L-R) LEUT Andrew Reichstein, CPOET Greg Hunton, WORS George Wall and LCDR Peter Franklin.

In 1975, NAVCAMSAUS was initiated by the Director of Naval Communications to coordinate fleet support communications in the South East Asian and Indian Ocean areas because of the closure of Royal Navy communications facilities at Mauritius, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Today NAVCAMSAUS is part of a world-wide Defence communications management organisation that has counterparts in the US, Canada, NZ and the UK.

NAVCAMSAUS is based in Canberra with a staff of 12 who carry out the long and short-term communications planning, maintain technical standards and configuration control of all shore-based assets, while Watch Officers provide a 24-hour point of contact for all users.

Shore-based assets consist of Naval Communications Stations Darwin, Canberra and Harold E Holt and Naval Communications Area Local Stations at Fremantle, Sydney and Cairns - in all there are 280 communications operational and technical personnel in the front line of providing communications services to ADF and allied customers.

Further information about NAVCAMSAUS is available from the website http://www.navcamsaus.navy.gov.au.