Page 106 - Australian Defence Magazine September 2018

LAND FORCES
LAND19
CEA Tactical Sensor (CEATAC) trailer mounted in operations mode.
Options development for Land 19 Phase 7B
EYEBROWS were raised at the First Pass limited tender-single supplier ar- rangement awarded to Raytheon in February last year, the first of its type under the Smart Buyer concept for a major capital equipment program: in this case one with an anticipated cost of up to $2 billion.
Raytheon’s proposal for Second Pass consideration in mid-2019 will be based on the proven Raytheon/Kongs- berg NASAMS (National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System) that is fielded by seven nations, including the US, and is being acquired by Indone- sia, and probably India.
The system provides ground-based air defence against fixed wing air- craft, helicopters, cruise missiles and unmanned aerial systems using the
Raytheon AIM-120 AMRAAM (Ad- vanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) as its effector.
“As a consequence of the acquisition strategy we find ourselves in a much better position than contemporary pro- grams at a similar spot in the lifecycle,” Colonel Doug Mallet, Director of the Combat Support Systems Program Of- fice in Defence’s Capability and Sustain- ment Group (CASG) noted to ADM.
“We’ve enjoyed a certain amount of freedom because we know who our prime systems integrator is going to be. It has actually opened things up; we’ve gone to a range of Australian Industry Content and other workshops that we would not have been able to do or be involved in as much, had there been a competitive tender.”
JULIAN KERR | SYDNEY
Risk mitigation activities (RMA) undertaken by Raytheon Australia for Project Land 19 Phase 7B are set to be completed this month on time and on budget, an encouraging outcome that the program director says has benefitted from the limited tender-single supplier acquisition model.
100 | September 2018 | www.australiandefence.com.au
CEA TECHNOLGIES