Page 16 - Australian Defence Magazine Dec21-Jan22

16 NEWS REVIEW INDUSTRY UPDATE
DECEMBER 2021-JANUARY 2022 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
DEFENCE SEEKS SEA MINING CAPABILITY
JULIAN KERR I SYDNEY
DEFENCE is considering the acquisition of a sea mining capability that could initially be available from the mid-2020s, accord- ing to a Request for Information (RFI) that closed on 25 October.
Project Sea 2000 (Maritime Mining) is designed to enhance the mine warfare capabilities of the ADF and secure Austra- lia’s maritime approaches using modern smart sea mines.
Subject to government direction and
approval, a sea mine capability was an- ticipated for the mid-2020s. An enduring capability was intended in the longer term, Defence stated.
The RFI, which was released on 17 Sep- tember, is meant to broadly understand the extent of the maritime mining market, the types of mines and methods of deploy- ment from proven maritime mine manu- facturers, and getting a rough idea of costs and availability.
It also requests information on the potential for Australian sovereign manufacture, main- tenance and sustainment, and supply surety.
LEFT: 4.5 tons of World War II High Explosive is destroyed just off the coast
of Bougainville during
Operation Render Safe in 2014.
Opportunities and constraints include economic order quantities, emerging tech- nologies, and innovation.
The 2020 Force Structure Review re- ferred to new investments in advanced maritime mines, but gave no details of schedule or anticipated cost.
In 2000 under Phase 1A of Joint Proj- ect 2045 the ADF selected the BAE Sys- tems Stonefish Mk III maritime mining system to fulfil a requirement for a fam- ily of multi-influence bottom sea mines deployable by surface warships, a range of fixed-wing aircraft, and Collins-class submarines.
The project was later cancelled, and greater emphasis was placed on mine countermeasures.
Several of 20 Stonefish exercise variants acquired in the early 1990s and subse- quently upgraded are believed to still be in service. These record the acoustic, mag- netic and pressure influences of potential targets and indicate when the mine would have been initiated.
RHEINMETALL TESTS COMPOSITE RUBBER TRACKS ON LYNX
RHEINMETALL has successfully completed demonstration trials of the Soucy Com- posite Rubber Track (CRT) system on the Lynx KF41 Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV). Rheinmetall Managing Director Gary Stewart said the CRT demonstration confirmed the Lynx IFV was capable of utilising both steel and composite rubber tracks.
“The vehicle was reconfigured from its base steel track system to the CRT, suc- cessfully demonstrating vehicle operation on the CRT system and then returned to the base Steel Track configuration with great success,” Stewart said.
Stewart also said the flexibility of incor-
RIGHT: Rheinmetall has successfully completed demonstration trials of the Soucy Composite Rubber Track (CRT) system on the Lynx.
porating CRT as a track option on Lynx increased the vehicles’ ability to meet a dynamic threat environment.
According to Rheinmetall, with the flex- ibility of the CRT fitted to the Lynx, the platform can be configured for a lighter all up weight (due to weight savings in the tracks) to allow easier air transportation and to potentially reduce overall running
costs through the service life of the ve- hicles.
“Both track systems have their advan- tages and while it is for the end user to determine whether a steel or composite rubber track is most appropriate, the flex- ibility of the Lynx design to be configured with either provides the greatest flexibility to Defence,” Stewart added. ■
RHEINMETALL
DEFENCE