Continuous sustainment, so the Royal Australian Navy's growing fleet is available where and when needed.
The federal government's National Naval Shipbuilding Enterprise will provide the nation with its greatest naval capability regeneration since the Second World War, as well as create and sustain a sovereign shipbuilding industry in Australia for generations to come.
Plan Galileo will ensure the significantly larger and more complex fleet that results from Continuous Naval Shipbuilding is effectively sustained so it can fight and win at sea. It will also enhance Navy’s agile approach and ability to surge from strategic locations across Australia, particularly key operational areas in the Pacific. Plan Galileo achieves this by approaching sustainment as a whole-of-life concept, considering sustainment from design of a vessel through to disposal. It reworks our support solution to one that adopts a fleet view, minimising duplication across the maritime domain.
The tonnage of the fleet will increase by 132 per cent in key regions across Australia from 2010 to 2048 as shown in the image below.
Plan Galileo focusses sustainment on a network of Regional Maintenance Centres (RMCs), which bring together the Commonwealth, primes, local small businesses and suppliers. Strategically located in port cities around the country, the RMCs will have the capability to sustain multiple classes of Royal Australian Navy surface fleet unit.
RMC National, a ‘light touch’ organisation will drive standardisation, coordination and efficiency across the RMC Network.
Horizon 3 of Plan Galileo- Sustainment 2025, is underway and aims to achieve three key objectives:
- Enhanced and evolved support to Navy
- Sustainment efficiency
- Sovereign sustainment capability.
More information on recent updates, key milestones and Plan Galileo factsheets and multimedia can be found below.
Establishment of the network of Regional Maintenance Centres (RMCs) is well and truly underway, with Regional Maintenance Centre North East (Cairns) on track to be operating early in 2022 to initially support Evolved Cape Class Patrol Boats.
The Commonwealth has started standing up the RMCs, with appointment of key Commonwealth positions and more to be filled in stages over coming months. The Regional Maintenance Provider (industry partner charged with coordinating and scheduling maintenance for the region) for the RMC is expected to be announced in Q3 this year.
RMC West (Henderson) is also on target to be in place in Q2, 2022 to initially support Arafura Class Offshore Patrol Vessels, with preparation for the workforce and tender assessment for the Regional Maintenance Provider underway. Planning for RMC North (Darwin) and RMC East (Sydney) continues.
Earlier this year, the Arafura Class Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) Systems Program Office was officially opened. The office brings together Commonwealth and industry personnel (including the Capability Life Cycle Manager) to ensure a smooth transition of the OPVs into service and effective sustainment through life. See Head Maritime Systems, RADM Wendy Malcolm CSM talk about this milestone in the latest Plan Galileo update video. Full media release is available on the Defence News web page.
Another key element of the new approach is Capability Life Cycle Managers (CLCM), which are industry partners that provide specialist asset management services to ensure Navy gets the most out of its capabilities through life. Raytheon is in place as the CLCM for Arafura Class Offshore Patrol Vessels, with planning for others is in train.
| Development – Completed | Implementation | Success |
| 1 Jan 2019-30 Jun 2020 | 1 Jul 2020-31 Dec 2021 | 1 Jan 2022-30 Jun 2025 |
| Establishing Regional Maintenance Centres | Maturing supply chains | Building a skilled workforce |
For more information please contact us plan.galileo@defence.gov.au