Defense Systems Journal
DIAR.com
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 Welcome to the special Defense Systems Journal Edition of Vol.
12, No. 5 of the Weekly DIAR.com e-Newsletter. Each week the Defence Industry & Aerospace Report (DIAR.com) e-Newsletter
provides an up-to-date listing of all Australia’s major Defence & National Border Protection corporate press releases,
speeches and reports by way of a headline and brief summary extract, as well as other international defence business news
items relevant to current Defence Capability Plan (DCP) acquisition proposals. Full digital copies of source material are
available by request to the contact numbers below, if you are a documentary retrieval service (DRS) subscriber. DIAR.com is
provided to individual subscribers under a single user licence (SUL), or on a group or corporate user licence (CUL) arrangement.
On-forwarding of the e-Newsletter is thus strictly prohibited in the absence of subscribers having first concluded a copyright
authority with the publishers. THREE ROADSIDE BOMB ATTACKS WOUND TWO ADF SOLDIERS:
The Department of Defence reports that Taliban insurgents have targeted Australian forces in three separate
roadside bomb attacks in one day. Two Australian soldiers operating in southern Afghanistan were wounded in separate Improvised
Explosive Device (IED) explosions on 12 February. The first incident involved a MTF-1 soldier - working as part of a patrol
consisting of members of both the 2nd Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force (MRTF-2) and the 1st Mentoring Task Force (MTF-1)
east of Tarin Kowt - who suffered minor wounds when an IED detonated. In a second incident, involving soldiers from Townsville-based
MRTF-2, a dismounted patrol was targeted with an IED. In a third incident, a patrol of MRTF-2 soldiers was again targeted
with an IED. The device activated but there were no casualties. All three strikes occurred in the Mirabad Valley region.
[13.02.10] (DIAR.com) NEW PROGRAM OFFICE TO RESTORE 'COLLINS' AVAILABILITY: As
part of the solution to address increasing sustainability problems with the Royal Australian Navy’s ‘Collins’-class
submarine fleet, the Government has authorised the establishment of a new Australian Submarine Program Office (ASPO) in Adelaide
next month, to jointly manage submarine availability required by the Government. In advance of ASPO’s establishment,
the Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Russell Crane, the DMO’s new Program Manager Submarines, Kim Gillis, and new CEO of
ASC, Steve Ludlum, have met to develop a new charter to drive the relationship between the three key players. DMO Director-General
Submarines, Commodore Bronko Ogrizek, will lead the integrated product team. Discussions are initially said to have focused
on a way forward on HMAS Farncomb's generator repairs, and a maintenance schedule change, following the electrical failure
of one of its three main generators last month. [12.02.10] (DIAR.com) STRONG INTEREST CLOSES SADI APPLICATIONS FOR 2009/10: Having received 'overwhelming support' during
the 2009/10 financial year, program funds for the Skilling Australia's Defence Industry (SADI) program are now fully committed.
Accordingly, the DMO advises that no further applications for SADI support for the current financial year will be accepted
from 15 February. Looking forward to the 2010/11 funding appropriation, the SADI program is in the process of developing new
program guidelines, application forms and reporting structures to further refine and streamline the administration process.
Further, it is proposed that SADI will move to a rounds-based application process, that will open twice a year. The current
plan is to open for applications in early-April, for contract execution in late-June, and training activity to commence from
July. [12.02.10] (DIAR.com) RAYTHEON BUILDS ITS DEFENCE PROCESS MATURITY CREDENTIALS:
Raytheon Australia MD, Michael Ward, has announced the company’s achievement of Capability Maturity
Model Integration (CMMI) Level 3 across the organisation. CMMI is a model-based process improvement framework that has been
developed with Defence and industry by the Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute. The model covers a range
of process areas, including: business management; project management; engineering and support. Ward says the completion of
external appraisals means that Raytheon Australia is the first defence company in Australia to achieve the DMO’s industry
target of CMMI Level 3 across its organisation, and which are fully integrated into many of its projects. [12.02.10] (DIAR.com) VESSEL INTERCEPTED NEAR ASHMORE ISLANDS: The ‘Armidale’-class patrol boat,
HMAS 'Bundaberg'- operating under the control of Border Protection Command (BPC) – has intercepted a suspected irregular
entry vessel (SIEV) some 25 nautical miles south of West Islet, Ashmore Islands. The vessel was first identified by an Air
Force AP-3C ‘Orion’ under BPC control, with initial indications some 48 passengers and two crew were aboard. The
group is to be transferred to Christmas Island where they will undergo security, identity and health checks, as well as interviews
to establish their reasons for travel. [12.02.10] (DIAR.com) SERVICE MEDAL FOR KOREA RECEIVES ROYAL APPROVAL: The Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support,
Dr Mike Kelly, has confirmed Her Majesty the Queen’s approval of the official regulations and design for the award of
the Australian General Service Medal for Korea. Substantiation of the award is said to be consistent with the Rudd Government's
election commitment to fully implement the recommendations of the Post-Armistice Korean Service Review. The medal recognises
former Defence Force personnel who completed 30 days participating in operations in South Korea in any location within 161
kilometres seaward from the coast of South Korea during the post-armistice period from 28 July 1953 to 19 April 1956.
[12.02.10] (DIAR.com) MRTF-2 TROOPS RETURN HOME AFTER AFGHANISTAN
TOUR: Seven hundred and thirty members of the 2nd Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force (MRTF-2)
have returned home following an eight-month deployment to Afghanistan. As part of the International Security Assistance Force
(ISAF), the soldiers have helped to expand the mentoring and training effort supporting a more competent Afghan National Army
which can be deployed to build the security capacity of the Afghan Government. Alongside the Afghan National Security Forces,
the MRTF-2 is said to have confiscated 90 weapon caches, provided security support for the Afghan National Elections, and
expanded the security presence in the Mirabad Valley, Baluchi Valley, and the Chora district. The mostly Townsville-based
MRTF-2 is being replaced with Brisbane-based soldiers from the 7th Brigade. [11.02.10]
(DIAR.com) THALES SIGNS CISSO SUPPORT SERVICES CONTRACT: Defence PM&S Minister Combet has confirmed
the signing of a contract with Thales Australia, which involves the company providing computer support services to a range
of ADF command and control (C2) systems. The five-year contract with the DMO’s Command and Intelligence Systems Support
Office (CISSO) – which begins this month - is valued at $51m, and will support 37 jobs. Services will be delivered from
facilities located in Canberra and Perth. The subject C2 systems - which form part of the Joint Command Support Environment
(JCSE) - support military planning and the conduct of ADF operations and exercises. Thales has been the major provider of
support services to CISSO since its inception in 2004, and also as a provider of solutions and services for the JCSE under
Joint Project 2030 since 1994. Over the course of the existing CISSO contract, Thales has delivered 140 deployable local area
networks (DLANs) ranging in size from ultra-light, single-laptop systems to heavy systems designed to support deployed headquarters
comprising over 150 users. [11.02.10] (DIAR.com) ROLLS-ROYCE SELECTS RMIT STUDENT FOR LEADERSHIP
PROGRAM: Rolls-Royce has selected a graduate from Melbourne’s RMIT University – following his
internship at Rolls-Royce’s plant in Indianapolis – where he has worked with the GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine
Team developing the F136 advanced combat engine slated for the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) - to join its prestigious Graduate
Leadership Development Program. The selected graduate, Jason Seris, will begin his 9-12 month internship placement in Indianapolis in April,
as a raw materials buyer in the purchasing team. Seris is the first Australian to be accepted into the North American
leadership program, and the fourth Australian intern from the RMIT to be sponsored through the program. [11.02.10] (DIAR.com) COMBET CONFIRMS COMBAT UNIFORMS MADE IN AUSTRALIA: Defence PM&S Minister Combet has confirmed that, contrary to media reports, “no
Australian troops currently deployed, or in training, are wearing combat uniforms made from Chinese fabric.” A tender
won late last year by Bendigo-based clothing manufacturer, Australian Defence Apparel (ADA) - to provide camouflage uniforms
under a two-year interim arrangement – was effected by ADA sourcing the fabric used to make these uniforms from Wangaratta-based
Bruck Textiles, for the contracted period. Combet said that under the contract, ADA put forward a second year option to supply
additional uniforms, if required, with the company sourcing the fabric from a Chinese company. Combet said, "this option
has not been exercised by the Department of Defence, and it will not be exercised ... the Government has identified
the development of combat clothing fabric as a Priority Industry Capability.” [10.02.10] (DIAR.com) DIRECTED PROCUREMENT BETTER THAN TARIFF PROTECTION: In
Senate Estimates Committee hearings, Shadow Defence Minister, David Johnston, has noted that while the Minister has tried
to brush off newspaper reports about a defence uniform contract going to a Chinese company as inaccurate, DMO chief Dr Stephen
Gumley “admitted he was so concerned about the contract, signed in December 2009, that he initiated an internal inquiry
into the matter ten days ago.” Johnston added, “now, this morning, Minister Combet has announced the Chinese option
would no longer be considered. If there were enough alarm bells for Dr Gumley to initiate an inquiry ten days ago, it was
clear the Minister should have intervened earlier. Up until this morning, this particular contract had a clause that should
additional fabric be needed for 60,000 uniforms, it could be sourced from a Chinese company.” Johnston says it “was
totally unacceptable that for a measly 10% cost saving, the Rudd Government was willing to have the fabric made in China,
and risking the intellectual property behind the high-tech fabric, which was owned by the Australian Government.”
[10.02.10] (DIAR.com) MODULAR LOAD CARRIAGE ACQUISITION BACK INTO DRAFTING: The Director-General Land Combat
Systems, Brigadier Bill Horrocks, has told Estimates hearings the Army’s modular load carriage (MLC) requirement - part
of project Land 125/3B - is currently being redrafted with the Request for Tender (RFT) to be re-released in the latter half
of 2010. Horrocks said at no stage had there been any shortfall in the supply of load carriage to soldiers, which had been
met under existing contracts and standing offers. The MLC RFT was released in October 2007 (closing 7 February 2008), with
the aim of securing a prime systems integrator to deliver all aspects of MLC capability, and bringing together a number of
contracts into a single contract. The approximately $20m procurement provided for the delivery of 13,000 sets of MLC, however,
a probity auditor identified there were process breaches (ie: administrative breaches in terms of the Defence Procurement
Policy Manual as to when certain activities should have been undertaken to allow a decision to be formed), in the tender rollout,
and thus recommended its cancellation. [10.02.10] (DIAR.com) MCBAS BODY ARMOUR ILL-SUITED TO DISMOUNTED
OPERATIONS: Concerns with the suitability of Bendigo-based Australian Defence Apparel (ADA)-manufactured modular,
combat body armour system (MCBAS) - 14,688 sets of which have been ordered – have been confirmed by the Chief of Army,
in Senate Estimates hearings, with LtGen Ken Gillespie advising an ADF-commissioned ‘Force Protection Review’
(conducted in Afghanistan last October) finding the principal concern of soldiers was that the armour was too heavy, and restricted
their movement. On foot at the altitudes they were operating, the extra weight meant that “soldiers became tired very
quickly, unable to keep up with their Afghan counterparts.” Gillespie said the MCBAS armour was the result of "all
of the development work, trials and use had in Iraq ... most of our operations were mounted, and the attacks that had happened
against us were against ASLAVs and vehicles." [10.02.10] (DIAR.com) CHOICE OF ARMOUR TO BE OFFERED FOR DIFFERENT MISSIONS: Gillespie conceded the MCBAS
construct was not suitable body armour for Special Forces in Afghanistan, and hence, a lighter set of body armour - called
'Eagle Marine' - had been acquired as an interim measure with 854 sets in stock and an additional 1,000 sets on order. Deliveries
began last October at a rate of 100 sets per month. According to Gillespie, "the reality is that the different task groups
have different combat body armour requirements. So we conducted some trials, along with the DMO and our troops, in October
last year at how we might pursue a more modular approach to combat body armour for our troops. We are taking the results of
that early trial and turning it into some design briefs, with the idea of being able to offer soldiers a choice for the type
of mission they are on." [10.02.10] (DIAR.com) SUBMARINE ESCAPE TRAINING FACILITY TO REOPEN BY JUNE: Defence Materiel Organisation
(DMO) ‘Collins’-class submarine crisis manager, Kim Gillis, has told Senate Estimates the DMO aims to finish all
maintenance work at HMAS Stirling’s Submarine Escape Training Facility (SETF) to
achieve international certification by April, so the Navy can begin training activities by June. An early-2009 SETF review
(which included some maintenance work) conducted in consultation with the Navy had concluded the ADF would be better off advancing
a complete review, and complete SETF overhaul. Defence PM&S Minister Combet confirmed
4 August 2009, the signing of a $4.32m two-year fixed price contract with The Underwater Centre Fremantle (TUCF), with the
purpose of recommencing training at the SETF in late-2009. Delays in regaining the capability means RAN submariners
have been sent to Quebec (Canada) for training since early-2009. The leased LR5 submarine rescue vessel (now based in WA on
12 hours emergency call-out notice since arriving from the UK on 2 June 2009) is
to be deployed onto a 'Collins'-class submarine 2-5 March for a capability test exercise. Whilst certified, the vessel’s
‘safety case’ is still to be completed. [10.02.10] (DIAR.com) GENERATOR RESTORATION LESSON FOR FUTURE SUBMARINE PROJECT: Reporting to Senators on
the wider status of the ‘Collins’-class submarine fleet, Kim Gillis said the failure in one of the French Jeumont-designed
(but Australian manufactured) generators aboard HMAS 'Farncomb' now needed to be completely disassembled for removal from
the submarine. This was a lesson, he said for designers of the project Sea 1000 future submarines. The ‘Collins’
exit hatch is one metre wide, whereas the generator with its surrounds measures 1.093 metres. According to Gillis, with "the
complexity of engine space and jigs required (for removal) ... it’s a 23-25 week iteration." There are three such
generators in each submarine, with only the ‘Collins’ having overseas manufactured generators. Revealing there
was a redundancy factor, Gillis conceded “we are looking to manage effectively the use of those generators, to minimise
the risk ... we are working with Electric Boat & Babcock (generator sustainers for USN and RN submarines) ... who have
had identical issues with their submarines and generators". [10.02.10] (DIAR.com) FOUR SUBMARINES TO BE BACK IN SERVICE BY SEPTEMBER:
The Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Crane, has told Senators a plan is now in place - to be delivered as part
of the establishment of the new Australian Submarine Program Office - to have four of the six 'Collins'- class boats available
for tasking by end-2011. According to Crane, "we will man up the 'Collins' using the Farncomb's crew, (and it) will be
underway in May, (having had) its diesel generator issue resolved. HMAS 'Waller' went into a ‘maintenance availability’
towards the end of 2009, and is sailing again this Friday. The 'Dechaineux' will sail out of full cycle docking in March,
and we expect her to be available for full tasking in May. So, three submarines will be running in May, on the current plan.
I am looking forward to having the 'Farncomb' at the end of the third quarter of this calendar year, when we will look at
remanning the 'Farncomb' with the Collins' crew. Of the four submarines crewed (a fourth crew is to be generated by end-2011)
and operating, two are expected to be deployable at short notice to meet the Navy's preparedness requirements.”
[10.02.10] (DIAR.com) HMA SHIPS 'SHEEAN' & 'RANKIN' OUT OF SERVICE FOR FIVE YEARS: Vice Admiral Crane advised the 'Sheean'
was “about 23% of the way through her full-cycle docking ... (the work) is just commencing … (the boat) has predominantly
been in lay-up with some rust preservation work done ... (it) actually has not commenced its full-cycle docking. The focus
is now on the 'Sheean', to get (the boat) out as fast as we practically can (and) ... back into operations. So the negotiations
that the chief of Navy and I have had with the CEO of the ASC are to focus his labour force on the 'Sheean'. DMO submarine
crisis manager, Kim Gillis, confirmed the ‘integrated master schedule’ completion date for the 'Rankin' was October
2013. He commented, “at the completion of its full-cycle docking, it will have been out of action for five years ...
having sat idly in the hard docks the first two years. The project office is now working on the 'Sheean' being completed by
September 2011, which will have also been out of the water for five years.” [10.02.10] (DIAR.com) DOUBLE HULL FOR HMAS 'SUCCESS'
TO PRESERVE RESALE VALUE: The Head of the DMO’s Maritime Systems Division, Rear Admiral Peter Marshall,
has detailed to Senate Estimates hearings the scope of design changes required following the Government’s decision to
add a ‘double hull’ to HMAS 'Success'. Marshall advised the vessel would run out of compliance with IMO standards
in March (in effect, making the vessel worthless in light of new IMO standards). Defence released an RFT 7 December 2009 (closing
7 March) for the work, with the re-engineering design effort commenced in September, and a Critical Design Review (concerning
the stability and structural integrity of the ship) completed. The scope of works involves converting the wing tanks on the
port and starboard sides to ballast tanks, whilst retaining the centre line fuel tanks, resulting - on the outer skin, port
and starboard – with a barrier. Marshal said that currently, fuel storage extends right down to the keel of the ship.
Design changes will also involve the installation, in the centre line tanks, of an additional bottom to the tanks, which is
two metres above the keel of the ship. A significant amount of pipe work modifications (ie: re-routing pipes, re-routing control
systems and monitoring systems) for all of the tanks is to be completed. Production work should commence in September, for
a February 2011 completion. [10.02.10] (DIAR.com) DEFENCE TAKING WHOLE-OF-GOVERNMENT APPROACH
TO WOOMERA: Subsequent to recent directions by the Department of Defence in regards to Chinese investment
in or near South Australia’s Woomera Prohibited Area (WPA), SA Senator Alan Ferguson has used Estimates hearings to
inquire as to whether there was scope for Defence to direct any of its activities away from the eastern boundary of the WPA
to allow for greater exploration and potential mining activities. The Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Binskin, responded that
mines “may provide magnetic interference during weapons tests and airborne platform developmental testing.” He
advised that Defence was already fairly flexible about what can occur on the WPA, saying it is decided “on a case-by-case
basis. We have always encouraged miners who want to look at a deed of access to talk to us about the issues there". Some
80 companies with tenements now operate inside the WPA. Defence Minister Faulkner further advised Senators, "we are looking
at a whole-of-government approach to the WPA ... it is a whole-of-Commonwealth-government approach. We are also in a very
appropriate and consultative way engaging South Australian authorities and agencies in the development of this work".
[10.02.10] (DIAR.com) WIDESPREAD PAYROLL MISTAKES PERSIST IN DEFENCE:
Nearly two years after the SAS pay scandal serious payment errors continue to occur on a regular basis. Defence
chiefs have revealed more ADF pay controversies during Senate Estimates hearings. The Chief of Army, LtGen Ken Gillespie admitted
he had been personally affected, in having to repay $20,000 because of a superannuation glitch in the pay system. Just before
Christmas 2009, 56 combat engineers based in Afghanistan’s Oruzgan province were found to have been paid the wrong ‘unpredictable
explosives allowance’, which resulted in debts that had to be repaid by affected personnel totalling $38,000. Another
63 soldiers were overpaid their campaign allowance upon returning from Afghanistan in 2009, requiring a total of $340,000
to be repaid. A review of ADF Reserve personnel similarly found hundreds of Reservists were also being overpaid for their
qualifications. The Government has since established yet another Task Force to review the ADF payroll system. [10.02.10] (DIAR.com) DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE FAVOURING JLTV OPTION FOR LAND 121/4?: The DMO’s Head of
Land System, MajGen Grant Cavenagh, has revealed the Department of Defence received thirteen responses to its RFP for a ‘manufactured
and supported in Australia’ (MSA) option in relation to its protected mobility vehicle-light requirement (Land 121/4).
Cavenagh stated a ‘down select’ had now taken place, with Defence providing advice in the next few months to the
government of the outcome of that process. Defence Capability Group chief, Vice Admiral Tripovich stated, "we will make
some recommendations about whether any should be proceeded with further.” Defence's advice to the government is to include
how long the American Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program had been going, what the MSA proposers claim they could
achieve, and what might be a relevant time line to allow manufacture and support in Australia - a parallel path - should the
government wish to do it. Tripovich added, "undoubtedly, it would be very difficult for an Australian proposal to catch
up (to the US). Clearly, we have not finished our assessment of the proposals but, if the government was of a mind to continue
a parallel competition, we would give advice about what that means for Initial Operating Capability". [10.02.10] (DIAR.com) BIG GUNS LIKELY TO SURVIVE DEFENCE CAPABILITY PLAN TRIMMING: Reporting on the status
of the offer definition refinement process (ODRP) relating to the project Land 17/1B procurement of protected self-propelled howitzers (PSPH’s) and supporting systems, the DMO’s Director-General of Land Combat
Systems, Brigadier Bill Horrocks, has advised Senate Estimates the process is “to conclude by the end of March,
with source evaluation by the Government to follow.” Horrocks told Senators that at the time of entry into the ODRP
process, the Project Office had notified the two remaining tenderers (and the Defence Minister), “the process would
take 12 months ... that is how long the process is taking ... there is no change to what has been broadcast in terms of the
introduction into service date ... we are looking at 2013 for initial deliveries". The evaluation of the two responses
- Krauss-Maffei Wegmann's PzH 2000 (tendered in two options) and Raytheon/Samsung’s
AS-9 - originally concluded in October 2008. Due to certain deficiencies in the tender responses (believed in the main
to relate to the accommodation of ‘Excalibur’ rounds), a solution could not be recommended on the basis for value
for money. Hence, the need for the ODRP to address those deficiencies and de-risk the options. [10.02.10] (DIAR.com) TOWNSVILLE SOLDIERS RETURN HOME FROM EAST TIMOR: Seventy-two soldiers from the Townsville-based 2nd
Battalion Royal Australian Regiment have returned home to Australia following a deployment to East Timor, as part of Operation
'Astute'. Over the coming weeks, a further 180 soldiers serving in the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) will return
to Australia and, in turn, be replaced by soldiers from the 8/9th Battalion RAR based in Brisbane. The first group of 78 soldiers
from the 8/9th Battalion RAR have now arrived in East Timor's capital, Dili. In December 2009, Defence Minister Faulkner announced
Australia's commitment to the ISF would draw down from approximately 650 to around 400 personnel by February 2010. [09.02.10] (DIAR.com) SOTG DISCUSSES FUTURE
SECURITY WITH AFGHAN ELDERS: The Australian Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) with their Afghan partner
force have facilitated a major gathering (shura) of village elders and religious leaders in Chenartu, north-east of Tarin
Kowt. The meeting is part of their current focus on reaching out to Afghan communities across Oruzgan province, with 150 attending.
With a force including ADF medics and coalition aid agency representatives (who work closely with AusAID staff in Oruzgan),
the SOTG is said to have explored all opportunities to engage the community. The Special Forces clinic treated over 200 people
throughout the day. [09.02.10] (DIAR.com) TIM BARRETT APPOINTED TO HEAD BORDER PROTECTION COMMANDER: Home
Affairs Minister, Brendan O’Connor, has congratulated Royal Australian Navy Commodore Tim Barrett on his promotion to
Rear Admiral, and subsequent appointment as Commander of Border Protection Command (part of the Australian Customs & Border
Protection Service). The Minister also recognised outgoing Commander, Rear Admiral Allan du Toit, for his commitment to Border
Protection Command over his two-year posting, which ended at midnight 8 February. Rear Admiral du Toit is assuming a new position
as Deputy Chief, Joint Operations Command. Minister O’Connor was they keynote speaker at the Australian Defence Business
Review (ADBR)-hosted ‘Maritime & Port Security Symposium’ at the Pacific 2010 International Maritime Symposium.
Presentations from this symposium will be available for download from www.adbr.com.au shortly. [09.02.10] (DIAR.com) DAVID MORTON NEW ADF DIRECTOR GENERAL OF MENTAL HEALTH: Former Department of Veterans'
Affairs & Veterans Families Counselling Service executive, David Morton, has been appointed as the ADF’s new Director-General
of Mental Health, Psychology and Rehabilitation. Morton's expertise is viewed by the Government as being vital for Defence
as it continues to implement recommendations from the 2009 review into mental health by Professor David Dunt. The review provided
the catalyst for major health care reform, with an additional $83m being provided by the government over the next four years
to implement recommendations. [09.02.10] (DIAR.com) DHA MAKES STRONG PROGRESS ONE YEAR INTO STIMULUS PROGRAM: Defence PM&S Minister
Combet says Defence Housing Australia (DHA) is making “strong progress” one year into the Government's economic
stimulus program. As part of the stimulus plan, the DHA was provided with $245.58m to build (initially) 802 houses throughout
Australia, however, 27 additional houses have been added to the program giving a total of 829 houses. The DHA has so far overseen
the completion of 329 of these, with all 829 houses now under build contracts. With just under 18 months left in the program,
Combet says the DHA “is well positioned to deliver on time, and on budget.” [09.02.10] (DIAR.com) AUSTRALIA SET TO INTRODUCE AIRPORT
BODY SCANNERS: The Rudd Government has confirmed it will proceed to introduce full body scans for airline
passengers, as it strengthens aviation security in response to a failed attempt to bring down a US-bound plane from Amsterdam
on 25 December. The Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, says $200m will be spent (over four years) on increased airport policing and
security technology. Some $28.5m dollars will be spent helping the industry fund a range of new screening technologies, including
body scanners, multi-view x-ray machines, and bottle scanners that detect liquid explosives. The PM added, “body scanners
are to be introduced progressively as an additional screening measure at screening points servicing international departing
passengers by early 2011." [09.02.10] (DIAR.com) O'CONNOR REPRISE ON AIRPORT SECURITY CRITICISMS:
Responding to Opposition suggestions that the Customs & Border Protection Service’s revised risk-based
approach to the screening of imported air and sea cargo (begun in July 2009), is a ‘downgrading’ of security,
Home Affairs Minister, Brendan O'Connor, says the Shadow Ministers for Trade, Transport, Regional Development and Local
Government (Warren Truss) and Justice & Customs (Michael Keenan), made
the assertion on the basis that the new program has actually cost the Australian taxpayers less money. O'Connor states that between July and end-December 2009 (while using the new risk-based approach to air cargo screening),
there had been an increase in the number of major detections (as well as the number of drug detections) compared to the six
months prior to implementing the refined strategy. O’Connor says the number of sworn Australian Federal Police officers
has grown 6.7% since 2007. [09.02.10] (DIAR.com) 'ANONYMOUS' CYBER ATTACK JUNKS PARLIAMENT
HOUSE WEBSITE: 'Anonymous', the cyber group responsible for overwhelming the Parliament of Australia
website in response to the Rudd Government's stance towards internet censorship, has issued a statement explaining its concern
with proposed legislation that would lead to mandatory ISP filtering for all of Australia. The group accuses
the government of having “filtered more internet content than any other parliamentary democracy.” It further charges
that for some elements within the Government (including Telecommunications Minister, Senator Stephen Conroy, “this is
still not enough”. 'Anonymous' says the Government's goal of preventing Australians from viewing ‘illegal’
and ‘unwanted content’ on the internet “is completely unacceptable, as no government should have the right
to refuse its citizens access to information solely because they perceive it to be ‘unwanted’.” [09.02.10] (DIAR.com) AMC-CUF NOW COMPLETE WITH FORMAL OPENING OF FLOATING DOCK: Western Australian Lands
Minister, Brendon Grylls & Commece Minister, Troy Buswell, have officially opened the new Stage 1 - 53m (W) & 99-m
(L) - 12,000 tonne (lifting capacity) floating dock which, in concert with upgraded facilities at the Henderson-based Australian
Marine Complex (AMC) is capable – via self-propelled modular transporters - of shifting maritime platforms of up to
4,500 tonnes across the wharf and around the common user facility (CUF). Prior to official commissioning, the floating dock
had been tested by raising a dredging barge onto land for repair and refurbishment work. The floating dock is claimed to be
the world’s most modern, and was built to a Clarke & Stanfield design by Henderson-based Strategic Marine, using
facilities at the CUF as well as the company’s Vung Tau (Vietnam) shipbuilding facility. The WA Government plans to
fund a Stage 2 component to the floating dock (taking total length to 232m), thus allowing the accommodation of the majority
of vessels in the Royal Australian Navy, as well as commercial ships up to Panamax size. [09.02.10] (DIAR.com) ASC LOOKS TO BECOMING AN EARLY USER OF NEW SHIP LIFTER: Adelaide-based ASC has welcomed
the official opening of the $60m floating dock (44m internal width) at the Australian Marine Complex (AMC) in Henderson (WA).
Newly appointed Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ASC, Steve Ludlam, said the new floating dock capability
complements ASC-West's $35m submarine support facility at the AMC-CUF, which now provides a dedicated environment for maintenance
and repair activities for the 'Collins'-class submarines. Submarines raised by the floating dock will be transported to the
ASC facility by self-propelled modular transporters, and with vessels then transferred onto a rail system for transfer into
ASC's maintenance hall. Opening of the dock means ASC is now able to carry out maintenance on as many as three submarines
at any one time, with the first vessel due to arrive in March. ASC has a 25-year (+25-year option) lease on its ASC-West site
at the AMC-CUF. [09.02.10] (DIAR.com) AWD ALLIANCE TESTS STRENGTHENED ICN-SA PARTNERSHIP: The
air warfare destroyer (AWD) Alliance and the Industry Capability Network (ICN) have begun a three-month trial, with the aim
of better identifying and matching buyers to suppliers of products and services relevant to project Sea 4000. First up, ICN-SA
representative, David Land, has been embedded in the AWD team. An AWD Alliance Supplier Registration Portal has been operating
since the start of 2007, with the Alliance using the 'Ariba' procurement software package for all of its purchasing activities.
But with more than 1,900 suppliers currently on the database, it is not possible for the Alliance to deal with all potential
suppliers individually. Hence, it is only through the use of systems established by the procurement teams that the best outcomes
can be achieved. Land will accordingly work to increase the understanding of supplies of their responsibilities during the
procurement process, and seeking to make transactions straightforward, and eliminate time wastage. [09.02.10] (DIAR.com) 'CHINOOK' SPARE PARTS CONTRACT AWARDED TO
MINCHAM AVIATION: The Boeing Company has contracted (terms not disclosed) Adelaide-based small-to-medium sized
enterprise (SME) Mincham Aviation, to manufacture four assembly-spare-part sets for the Army's CH-47D 'Chinook' helicopters.
Mincham Aviation was identified during capability conferences organised by the Boeing Office of Australian Industry Capability
(OAIC), established in 2008 as an alternative to industrial offsets arrangements as a means of increasing business opportunities
for Australian companies. Mincham Aviation MD, Daryll Mincham, said the contract “is the first step in what we hope
will be a long-term relationship with Boeing.” The Rudd Government is shortly expected to confirm ‘second pass’
approval for phase 5C of project Air 9000, involving the replacement of all the Army’s ‘D’-model CH-47s
with the latest ‘Chinook’ ‘F’-model helicopter. [09.02.10]
(DIAR.com) FOURTH WGS SATELLITE PASSES KEY INTEGRATION MILESTONE: Boeing reports that it integrated (in late-December)
the satellite bus and payload module for the fourth (of six) Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) satellites the company is building
for the US Air Force. WGS-4's broadband communications payload was mated with a Boeing 702 satellite platform at its El Segundo
facility, in California. WGS-4 is the first of three satellites to be built under the Block II contract, which includes performance-boosting
enhancements such as a radio frequency bypass designed to support airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms
requiring additional bandwidth. WGS-4, -5 and -6 are scheduled to launch in 2011 or 2012. Australia is buying into the WGS
constellation by purchasing the sixth satellite of the series (Joint Project 2008/4). [09.02.10] (DIAR.com) TRIAL OF BUSHFIRE FIRE DETECTION CAMERAS APPROVED: The Federal Attorney-General, Robert McClelland,
the Victorian Emergency Services Minister, Bob Cameron, and NSW Forest Resources Minister, Ian Macdonald, have announced a
comprehensive trial of bushfire detection cameras will commence on 15 February in the Otway Ranges in Victoria, and near Tumut
in NSW. The trial will run until the end of April, with a possible one-month extension, depending on prevailing conditions. The
Australian Government is funding the $3m trial, with the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) to evaluate its results
and outcomes as a means of evaluating the technology against other existing bush fire detection systems, including ‘fire
spotters’ in towers or planes, public reports through the triple-zero emergency service, or through satellite systems.
[09.02.10] (DIAR.com) COMMERCIALISATION AUSTRALIA BOARD MEMBERS
FINALISED: Dr Laurie Hammond (Co-Founder & Director of iQ Capital Management) has been appointed as inaugural
chair of the new Commercialisation Australia Board (CAB), a $196m Commonwealth initiative designed to take a ‘hands-on’
approach to help bring ideas to market by offering a range of tailored assistance measures. Other Board members include: Dr
Katherine Woodthrope (Chief Executive of the Australian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association); Dr Susan Pond (former
Chairman & MD of Johnson Research); Dr Bruce Whan (Director of Swinburne Knowledge & CEO of Swinburne Ventures; Nixon
Apple (Industry & Economics Adviser to the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union); Jan Bingley (GM for IP, Licensing
& Technology Transfer at the CSIRO). The CAB will undertake its first meeting in March. [09.02.10] (DIAR.com) |