Page 20 - Australian Defence Magazine April 2020

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SEA POWER CONTEXT
APRIL 2020 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
RE-SHAPING AUSTRALIA’S NAVY
There is a renewed air of confidence and sense of purpose in the Royal Australian Navy.
ROB NAPIER | MELBOURNE
I T’S due in part to a wider public awareness of Australia’s depen- dence on Navy to protect our borders and international sup- ply lines, ongoing deployments in the Middle East, increasing pressures in the South China Sea and closer to home, Navy’s conspicuous service evacuating coastal areas during the recent bushfires. These have all led to a greater understanding and appreciation of the role Navy plays in the defence of Australia.
Meanwhile, the Government has approved a $90 billion Continuous Shipbuilding Program that will introduce new surface vessels and submarines with greatly enhanced capa- bilities (see ADM October 2019, Mission Control, we have Ship Zero). The vessels chosen are well considered and des- tined to lift Navy’s ability to operate effectively and safely in the defence of Australia. Working with the best available equipment contributes to confidence among its officers and sailors that they have the tools they need to do their job well.
The benefit of this investment will be felt Australia wide. If the goal was simply to acquire the latest military hard- ware, the planners could have filled their shopping baskets in offshore shipyards at much lower cost. The Continuous Shipbuilding Program creates new opportunities for Aus- tralia’s Defence Industry (through investment in manufac- turing, technology transfer and foreign military sales), and upskilling the workforce. A strong local Industry that can
build, maintain and update platforms strengthens Navy and contributes to its resurgence.
Investment decisions are not made in isolation. Nor does Navy operate in a vacuum, entirely separated from land, air, space and cyber domains. A commitment to joint force design and integration within the office of the Vice Chief of the Defence Force ensures closer integration across all services of the ADF – and with the forces of allied nations. This has heavily influenced equipment choices and strate- gies with a structured approach to new acquisitions that extends throughout the Capability Life Cycle.
A NETWORKED JOINT FORCE
Commodore David Mann, Director General Surface Com- batants and Aviation, sees many parallels between the im- petus for a fifth generation Air Force and Navy’s goal to build a Next Generation Navy.
“Our ships and crews are dealing with the challenges of ever-increasing tempos and complexity in the maritime en- vironment. They must be more capable and better informed. As the RAAF emphasises stealth capability and sensor fu- sion, Navy is moving to achieve closer integration of sensors and effectors across the fleet. We are taking steps to improve seaworthiness and preparedness to respond where and when
needed. Improved preparedness would not be possible without the enduring support of Austra- lian Defence Industry and the transformational partnerships described in the Navy Industry Engagement Strategy,” CDRE Mann said to ADM.
CDRE Mann places strong emphasis on synergy.
LEFT: The Hobart class DDGs are now all in the water.
ABOVE: The Collins class submarine will be a potent platform well into the 2030s.
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