Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

The Minister for Defence has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1)   Diggerworks comprises agencies involved in delivering integrated Soldier Combat Systems. These include Army Headquarters, the Defence Materiel Organisation, Capability Development Group, and the Defence Science and Technology Organisation. Diggerworks facilitates and coordinates the collaboration of the agencies in defining, developing and delivering integrated Soldier Combat System capabilities.

Diggerworks is centred on the Integrated Soldier Systems Development Directorate within Land Systems Division of the Defence Materiel Organisation, located in Victoria Barracks Melbourne. Diggerworks is staffed by close combat subject matter experts, systems engineers, technical advisers, Defence scientists, logistic support managers, prototype engineers and project managers. Combined they provide the analysis, design, and test capability to develop integrated Soldier Combat Systems solutions.

(2)   Colonel Jason Blain, an Infantry Officer, is in charge of Diggerworks. He reports to Director General Integrated Soldier Systems, within Land Systems Division, DMO.

(3)   (a) Nineteen (19) civilian staff.

  (b) Seven (7) military staff.

  (c) The current Diggerworks staffing by rank and level, including estimated annual costs as well as 'on costs' is shown below:

     (i) Oncosts: A 20 per cent loading on salary is allocated to on costs. This figure is based on historical Land Systems Division data and includes: superannuation, long service leave provision, annual leave and the 3 per cent productivity bonus.

     (ii) Operating Overhead: This covers the internal Land Systems Division cost of employing staff. This figure is based on the DMO per capita rate of $6,500 and covers costs such as training, office expenses and travel.

  (d) All military staff in Diggerworks have had operational experience. This ranges from deployments to the Sinai, Somalia, East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan. The Officer-In- Charge of Diggerworks was the Commanding Officer of Mentoring Task Force One in Afghanistan last year and was selected for his current appointment based on his recent operational command experience. He has a detailed understanding of the views of the combatants in the field, having been directly involved in raising issues on combat equipment while a Commanding Officer. Mentoring Task Force One was recently recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours List (2011) for a Meritorious Unit Citation. The military staff also includes an Infantry Warrant Officer and a Special Forces Warrant Officer. Both these soldiers have had direct battle field experience as well as senior appointments in regimental units.

(4)   The Standard Combat Uniform will be manufactured in Australia in accordance with Government policy. All other procurements will be conducted in accordance with the Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines. Australian companies will be able to tender for such procurements, unless circumstances that warrant a directed procurement to a non-Australian company, such as operational urgency, exist.

(5)   Report on Defective or Unsatisfactory Materiel (RODUM) are one of a number of feedback mechanisms used by Diggerworks to identify deficiencies with or suggested improvements to in-service equipment.

(6)   There are three variants of body armour systems currently in use in Afghanistan. They are:

The new Tiered Body Armour System is provided to Mentoring Task Force Three personnel along with the next Special Operations Task Group to deploy;

The Modular Combat Body Armour System is provided to the Combined Team Uruzgan and personnel in Kandahar & Kabul; and

Eagle Marine is currently provided to Special Operations Task Group personnel.

(7)   From 2008 until 22 June 2011, $87.586 million has been spent on the Modular Combat Body Armour Systems. This figure includes costs associated with development, ballistic plates, delivery fees and the costs of refurbishing the equipment after use. The Modular Combat Body Armour System remains an in-service body armour where a high degree of protection in primarily static duties is required. It remains in-service on operations and it is planned that it will remain one of the primary body armours of the Australian Defence Force.

(8)   Approximately 1,400 sets of the Tiered Body Armour System have been provided to the Mentoring Task Force and Special Operations Task Force in Afghanistan.

(9) and (10) No Reports on Defective or Unsatisfactory Materiel have been received in relation to the Tiered Body Armour System or parts there of as at 21 June 2011.