Page 12 - Australian Defence Magazine October 2021
P. 12

                     12 NEWS REVIEW INDUSTRY UPDATE
OCTOBER 2021 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
  RHEINMETALL REVEALS SHORTLISTING FOR LAND 125 PHASE 4
RHEINMETALL Defence Australia has an- nounced that it is also on the shortlist for the Land 125 Phase 4 program.
Land 125 Phase 4 will deliver an integrat- ed soldier system (ISS) integrating all ele- ments and subsystems that are used, worn or carried by soldiers in any operational con- text or environment, for up to 72 hours with- out resupply. It excludes personal weapons and communications equipment, which are managed by separate, related projects. The ISS will also include un-crewed ground and aerial systems and self-learning machines.
The company joins Team SABRE, Bab- cock and Elbit Systems on the shortlist.
Rheinmetall says it is now looking to partner with Australian companies in sol- dier platform capabilities, robotics and autonomous platforms, and ‘enhancement’ capabilities.
Rheinmetall Managing Director Gary Stewart said that ongoing engagement with local industry and innovation would be critical to the success of the Integrat- ed Soldier System.
“I am impressed by the high degree of
ABOVE: Land 125 Phase 4 will deliver a system integrating all elements and subsystems that are used, worn or carried by soldiers.
innovative technologies being developed by Australian SMEs,” Stewart said.
The request for tender is expected to close towards the end of 2021 for a Com- monwealth decision in early 2022. Deliv- ery to the ADF is expected in 2024.
ADM approached the Department of Defence with questions but did not receive a response by deadline.
   HMAS WALLER TO RETURN TO SERVICE
    JULIAN KERR | SYDNEY
THE Collins-class submarine HMAS Waller will return to service in Septem- ber, five months after being damaged by an onboard electrical fire while alongside at HMAS Stirling.
Responding on notice to questions raised in Senate Estimates by Labor sena- tor Kimberley Kitching, Defence disclosed the fire occurred on 8 April in an auxiliary machine space.
Although the blaze was successfully ex- tinguished it reignited approximately four hours later and was again extinguished. The cause was attributed to a flash-over of an electrical motor.
At the time HMAS Waller was prepar- ing to conduct an operational workup and unit readiness evaluation, Defence said.
The Defence response did not mention a flooding incident on 22 March in which water flowed into HMAS Waller through the conning tower hatch while the subma- rine was surfaced in a heavy swell off the West Australian coast.
“All procedures and safety systems oper- ated correctly. However, this water ingress caused numerous electric failures which required the submarine to return to Fleet
LEFT: HMAS Waller sails through Sydney Harbour as she prepares to berth at Fleet Base East, Sydney.
Base West for repairs,” Defence subsequently explained.
In February 2014 a fire broke out in a starting resistor cabinet for Waller’s main propulsion mo- tor in the aft compartment of the
3,407-tonne submarine while surfaced off the West Australian coast.
The fire was smothered by an emergency fire suppression system but four crew were evacuated by helicopter after inhaling ha- lon gas from the suppression system.
Repairs were carried out in conjunction with a scheduled major docking which was advanced by several months, and the subma- rine was out of service for about two years.
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