Collins
update
Six Collins Class submarines have achieved Operational Release
status marking a milestone in the project, providing the Navy
with a worldclass capability.
CN VADM Chris Ritchie agreed to the Operational Release in early
March after the boats were put through vigorous exercises using
real world scenarios, and their capabilities tested and evaluated
with outstanding results.
The Collins Class submarines, still to undergo some future modifications
are known as the most capable submarines in the world, providing
Navy with a long endurance, quiet, shock resistant and stealthy
capability.
Health
review
A review of the Defence Health Service (DHS) is being conducted
to evaluate whether its existing capabilities are able to meet
Defence’s needs in the short to medium term.
Major General J.P. Stevens (ret’d) is conducting the review, scheduled
for completion by March 31.
Director General DHS Air Commodore Tony Austin said CDF initiated
the review to establish how the changes over the past 10 years
or so to the DHS had impacted on support to the ADF.
FFG
Study
Lieutenants Paul Applegate and Andrew Williams from NPTC-East
recently gave a presentation to the 11th Annual International
Conference on Post-Compulsory Education and Training at Griffith
University.
The presentation provided a summary of the methodology used by
the E E Agency to conduct the workplace study aboard the RAN’s
six FFG’s.
The workplace study asked members to reflect on the effectiveness
of their teams, and comment on their training concerns and their
confidence to carry out their duties.
Sonar
trial
HMAS Mermaid (LCDR Ross Bowden) has recently completed a successful
trial of the Australian designed and developed Petrel threedimensional
Royal Australian Navy Mine and Obstacle Avoidance Sonar (RAN MOAS).
This unique sonar provides a display that is equivalent to an
underwater 3D flight simulator using design concepts from the
play station game industry providing an intuitive display of the
sea-bed and all dangers ahead of the vessel.
$114
million contract
Defence has signed a $114 million contract with Boeing Australia
Limited to deliver a new state-of-the-art air defence command
and control system for the Australian Defence Force.
Vigilare will use information from sources such the Jindalee Operational
Radar Network (JORN), our new Airborne Early Warning and Control
aircraft, civil and military microwave radars, fighter and maritime
patrol aircraft, Royal Australian Navy air warfarecapable ships
and various intelligence sources.
It will provide high-tech communication facilities to enable ADF
commanders to command and control widely dispersed air, sea and
ground assets.
Cadet
intake
Three hundred and eight Navy Midshipmen, Army and Air Force Officer
Cadets have been inducted into the Australian Defence Force Academy
(ADFA).
It is the highest intake of Midshipmen and Officer Cadets to enter
ADFA in six years.
To celebrate completion of the 2004 initial training period recently,
over 790 Midshipmen and Officer Cadets, as well as military staff,
marched at the Chief of the Defence Force Parade.
In
memory
The life of Recruit Colin Neil Collins was commemorated in a service
at St Peter’s Anglican Church, Brighton Beach (Victoria) on March
7.
Recruit Collins drowned when the whaler conveying him and 28 sailors
others from the Frankston Pier to the aircraft carrier HMAS Vengeance
sank after hitting two freak waves in Port Phillip Bay on March
9, 1954.
Recruit Robert Jervis was also killed. Neither body was ever recovered.
Yemen
bound
Australian shipbuilder Austal has launched the first in a series
of 10 fast patrol boats being built for the Republic of Yemen.
It’s the first naval vessel launched since the company announced
the formation of Austal Defence, a new division focused on exploiting
the opportunities which exist for the company’s aluminium vessel
technology.
