Page 81 - Australian Defence Magazine October 2019

Given that the launch of the first-of- class Attack boat is expected in 2030, anticipated construction time for the first boat is eight years. This was tak- ing into account the fact that subma- rines had not been built in Australia since the last of the Collins class was delivered in 2003, RADM Sammut ac- knowledged.
Construction time would certainly im- prove with experience, and although the completion date of the last-of-class had yet to be decided, the construction drumbeat could certainly be increased, amid current speculation that completion may not be until the 2050s. A drumbeat of a new boat every two to three years is the common as- sumption at this point.
“We do want the yard to have the ability to improve the rate of production – we’ll probably have three boats in various stages of build at any one time - and you would settle down to a drumbeat based on the number of workers required to deliver a boat within a certain timeframe,” RADM Sammut commented.
“But you come to the point where you can’t keep throwing in people to increase the rate of production; there are only so many people you can fit in a yard before they start tripping over each other.
“That was a good lesson for the Air War- fare Destroyer program; we actually got better at building the ships not by adding people but by getting more efficient in the way we produced them.”
As this article reached deadline, ADM learnt that RADM Sammut, act- ing General Manager Submarines fol- lowing Stephen Johnson’s return to the
US in May, would shortly be confirmed in that role reporting to Tony Fraser, Deputy Secretary Capability Acquisi- tion and Sustainment, through Tony Dalton, Deputy Secretary National Na- val Shipbuilding.
Assuming RADM Sammut takes over Johnston’s responsibilities as well as his title, his extended workscope will cover both Sea 1000 and the Collins-class pro- gram, a full dance card considering 5+1 of the Collins boats will be undergoing a sub- stantial Life of Type Extension (LOTE) during the Attack program.
ULTRA ONBOARD
UNDERSEA INFORMATION ADVANTAGE
Sonar Systems Torpedo Defence
BREAKOUT HEAD
Sonobuoys
KATHERINE ZIESING | CANBERRA
Breakoutbody noindent xxxx xxxx x xx
Tactical Data Links
x xxxx xxx xxx xxx.
Breakoutbody xxxx xxxx x xx x xxxx
xxx xxx xxx.
Electronic Warfare
www.ultra-electronics.com.au
www.australiandefence.com.au | October 2019 | 81
“You come to the point where you can’t keep throwing in people to increase the rate of production; there are only so many people you can fit in a yard before they start tripping over each other.”