Page 10 - Defence Industry Guide #53

10 DEFENCENEWS
ADM’s Defence Industry Guide 2021 | Edition 53 | www.defencesuppliers.com.au
SAAB MULTI-MISSION SURVEILLANCE UNDERPINNING GROUND BASED AIR DEFENCE
SAAB AUSTRALIA’S (Saab) multi-mis- sion surveillance system, the Giraffe AMB is an in-service radar employed by the 16th Regiment RAA as their pri- mary sensor for Counter-Rocket, Artil- lery and Mortar (C-RAM) and Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) missions.
The Giraffe AMB originally deployed directly into Afghanistan with the Aus- tralian Army as a Combat Support force element from 2010-2015. Saab subse- quently integrated the system with its sovereign Tactical Command & Control System (TACCS) to service the GBAD requirement. The capability upgrade ensures that the ADF continues to field a highly mobile, portable and effective Very Short Range Air Defence System.
Saab has also integrated a Mode 5 Identification Friend or Foe capability with the radar, the first GBAD system to do so outside of the United States.
“As a combat proven, multi-mission sensor that is in-service with the ADF and supported in Australia by Saab
and its team of small to medium enterprises, Giraffe AMB will continue to protect the force and increase situ- ational awareness for years to come,” Andy Keough, Saab Australia Managing Director, said.
The combination
of a powerful sur-
veillance radar and
integrated Com-
mand and Control functionality also enables its ability to conduct tradition- al air surveillance tasks, presenting an opportunity for the ADF to support expeditionary air surveillance require- ments for forward air bases.
With an associated mid-life upgrade, the Giraffe AMB has the capability to field world-leading Counter-Uninhab- ited Aerial System capability with the
Enhanced Low, Slow and Small signal processing package. This leverages the agile multi-beam concept employed by the radar, rapidly classifying the smallest drones at range, and discrimi- nating from the environmental clutter such as birds. ■
ABOVE: The Giraffe Counter Rocket Artillery and Mortar (C-RAM) radar.
LARGEST SLIPWAY IN NORTHERN AUSTRALIA COMPLETES EXPANSION
TROPICAL REEF SHIPYARD (TRS) in Cairns has completed a $10 million ex- pansion and improvement program and received its renewed DEF(AUST) 5000 certificate.
TRS is the largest slipway in north- ern Australia, providing maintenance and sustainment services for the RAN, commercial vessels, and Western Pa-
cific customers. The yard has a 3000 ton lift and is capable of docking a 105 metre vessel.
“We are very pleased to have received the pres- tigious qualification by satisfying the RAN Engi- neering Branch require- ments set in DEF(AUST) 5000,” a spokesperson said. “This marks the
completion of the program allowing TRS to haul-out a wider range of ves- sels with greater flexibility.”
The news means Navy’s new Arafura Class Offshore Patrol Vessel’s and Guard- ian Class Pacific Patrol Boats belonging to Pacific island states can be fully main- tained and serviced in the shipyard.
“Our highly skilled staff support the
work, and this year completed over 200 days of maintenance in our shipyard for the RAN,” the spokesperson added. “We have served the RAN for over 20 years in Cairns and the continuing award of these contracts demonstrates the depth of our expertise and the qual- ity of our work practices. Over this pe- riod, we have been agile and resilient, manning up for the evolving technolo- gies onboard new ships.
“We are excited and are looking for- ward to our next phase of development in meeting and exceeding the expecta- tions of the Sovereign Defence Indus- try Capabilities and Plan Galileo.” ■
ABOVE: Navy’s new Arafura Class and Guardian Class boats belonging to Pacific island states can be fully maintained and serviced in the shipyard.
TRS
DEFENCE