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:

Network Centric Warfare Capability Policy and Plans

(1) A similar question has previously been asked under Senate Question on Notice No. 484 for the period 1 July to 31 December 2010 and a response was provided. The response to this question provides updated information for the requested period of 1 January to 30 June 2011 and should be read in conjunction with the response to Senate Question on Notice No. 484. Defence was engaged in the following network centric warfare activities from 1 January to 30 June 2011.

(a) Specialist Communications Modernisation Program—Land

During the subject period,a market survey was conducted to obtain better cost and schedule fidelity and make available to industry key capability definition documents. The Request For Tender was released on 02 June 2011 (closing date is 26 August 2011). During the period Defence has also developed plans to install WAN optimisation devices on the deployed networks to manage application specific bandwidth requirements. Defence has expanded the initial operating capability of the networked maritime units milestone through the installation of Link 16 on the ANZAC class Frigates.

(b ) Navy Information Warfare Master Plan

Navy is finalising development of the Navy Information Warfare Master Plan.

Network Centric Capability and Increased Bandwidth

(2) On the matter of increasing bandwidth, Defence was engaged in the following activities from 1 January to 30 June 2011.

(a) Link 16 capabilities

Defence has maintained an initial operating capability of the networked maritime units milestone through evolution of the Link 16 capabilities installed in the Adelaide Class Frigates. The improvement of knowledge through this technology, which will be installed into the ANZAC Class Frigates and the new AWD and LHD platforms, will enhance our NCW capability and markedly improve interoperability both within the ADF and more widely with our Allied/coalition partners.

(b) Line of sight communications capability

Navy is undertaking experimentation with our 5 eyes partners (CAN, NZ, UK, and US) to develop high data rate line of sight communications capability which will provide our mobile units with the capability to maintain essential NCW capability in environments where satellite communications are denied or otherwise unavailable.

(c) Joint Project 2008 (ADF Satellite Communications) has delivered the following:

(i) Phase 3E – three Maritime Advanced Satellite Terrestrial Infrastructure System (MASTIS) terminals for AWD/LHD ($5.5 million);

(ii) Phase 3F—Defence continues the development of a long term satellite ground station capability on the Australian West coast ($3.41 million);

(ii) Phase 4—continued milestone payments for the sixth Wideband Global SATCOM satellite ($133.53 million); and

(iv) Phase 5A—Defence continued the acquisition of an Ultra High Frequency payload on the IS-22 commercial satellite over the Indian Ocean Region, which will become operational in 2012 ($34.53 million).

(d) Joint Project 2043 (High Frequency Modernisation) has delivered the following:

(i) commenced the rollout of 400 watt High Frequency (HF) Automatic Link Establishment (ALE) radio systems in a transit case solution to army units ($2.4 million), and

(ii) upgrades to four Black Hawk helicopters with HF ALE capable radios ($2.7 million)

( e) Brigade-level Battle Management System (BMS)

Army contracted Elbit Systems Limited (ESL) to provide a (BMS) concept demonstrator at a cost of $4.2 million. The system delivered was accompanied by technical field support representatives and a digital communications network for deployment in support of HQ 7 Bde during the lead-up to and conduct of Exercise TALISMAN SABRE 11.

(f) Land 75 and Land 125

Land 75 (Battle Management System) Phases 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4 and Land 125 (Soldier Enhancement) have completed work for vehicle and soldier installation design, prototype manufacture and testing and logistic preparation for introduction into service ($50 million).

(g) Joint Project 2072 (Battlespace Communications Systems – Land) Phase One Joint Project 2072 (Battlespace Communications Systems – Land) Phase One, has begun to take delivery of new generation of Combat Net Radio and Tactical Data Radios from Harris and Raytheon that will support the introduction of a new Battle Management System being provided by Elbit Systems Limited in Land 75 (Battle Management System). The Initial Materiel Release milestone was achieved in June this year which is the first step in the delivery of Networked Battle group for both Army and Air Force ($58 million).

(h) Operational Data Exchange Network (ODEN)

Through the Land Network Integration Centre, Army has designed and built the second generation of the Operational Data Exchange Network (ODEN). ODEN has since been deployed to Afghanistan to support deployed forces and now delivers a digital data backbone between the main operating base, forward operating bases and patrol bases.

(j) Communications Bearers

Again through the LNIC, Army is in the process of assessing a range of communications bearers to provide more bandwidth between the bases in Afghanistan . The LNIC has spent approx $790 000 on new Time Domain Multiple Access Satellite equipment and another $2 million on network integration gateways and tropospheric scatter beyond line of sight radio bearers . These will be tested and assessed for suitability to support the ODEN network, in addition to broader network architecture and systems integration trials in support of Army further developing the Land Network Architecture .

(k) Army's Networking Objectives

Army has established three new Army positions at a cost of 3 x Average Funded Salaries ($345 000 p/a enduring). These positions will work in direct support of realising Army's networking objectives by delivering additional staff capacity to the Directorate of Network Enabled Warfare at AHQ, the G6 Branch of HQ FORCOMD and the Land Network Integration Centre. All of these positions are active to be posted against from Jan 12.