Page 122 - Australian Defence Magazine May 2022

122 FROM THE SOURCE VICE ADMIRAL MICHAEL NOONAN
MAY 2022 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
A Leading Seaman Aviation Technician Aircraft marshals HMAS Arunta’s MH-60R Seahawk helicopter during flying operations in the Indo-Pacific
offer superior characteristics of stealth, speed, and endur- ance, compared to that of a conventional submarine, and allows them to operate in contested areas with lower risk and more effectively deter actions against Australia’s na- tional interests. This shift represents the need to possess and develop capabilities that could meet Australia strategic requirements over the coming decades.
Missile Defence. The Hunter and Hobart classes come equipped with the world leading Aegis Combat System, which along with advanced missile systems, will allow Navy to contribute to Terminal Sea Based Defence in the future.
ADM: Do you foresee a time when Navy will require an organic fixed-wing air defence capability for the fleet? VADM NOONAN: Navy is not pursuing an organic fixed-wing air defence capability for the Fleet at this time. We are cur- rently focussed on developing capabilities that have the poten- tial to disrupt the status quo and offer Navy an asymmetric advantage in the increasingly complex and contested operating environment that we find ourselves in; examples of areas that have the potential to disrupt the status quo include undersea warfare, robotic & autonomous systems, quantum computing and artificial intelligence.
ADM: What are Navy’s goals for uncrewed technologies? Is there a role for uncrewed warships in the future RAN? VADM NOONAN:Navy has put a significant focus on Ro- botics, Autonomous Systems and Artificial Intelligence capabilities, which is outlined in our RASAI 2040 strat- egy. Given the size of Australia’s maritime interests and domain, we must be able to project force and maintain our presence. Autonomous Systems will allow Navy to generate mass on a scale we otherwise could not achieve, enabling a presence in Australia’s maritime reaches that crewed plat- forms could not, on their own, maintain. RAS is not new
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“MORE THAN 80 INTERNATIONAL NAVY DELEGATIONS HAVE BEEN INVITED TO THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY’S SEA POWER CONFERENCE 2022 IN SYDNEY IN MAY”
ADM: In your view, when will the Collins-class have to leave the water, considering the current pro- posed life of type extension?
VADM NOONAN: The government is investing $4.3 – $6.4 billion for all six of Australia’s Collins-class sub- marines to undergo a life-of-type ex- tension. That process will extend the fleet’s operational life into the 2040s, ensuring Australia has a potent and agile submarine force until the nucle- ar-powered submarines are in service.
ADM: Will Navy play a role in Australia’s future ballistic missile defence?
VADM NOONAN: Navy is a key component of the Joint In- tegrated Air Defence Capability of the ADF. Our ships, weapons and sensors play a significant part in the defence of Australian interests. Our major contributors are the Ho- bart-class DDG, the Anzac-class FFH and in due course the Hunter-class FFG. Two of these platforms feature CEA technology that will give us the edge in Integrated Air and
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