Delays to the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) Fixed HF Radio Refresh (FHFRR) system mean that the project has no future delivery date.
According to a NZDF spokesperson, the project is experiencing “significant delay due to integration issues between the new equipment and the existing NZDF IT infrastructure”, adding that because of this factory acceptance tests (FATs) for the FHFRR equipment “did not occur in 1Q 2023” as had been expected.
The spokesperson told ADM that the integration issues “led to rework being required. That rework is currently being scoped, and we do not yet have an updated schedule.”
The FHFRR project is being run by Babcock New Zealand under a contract signed on 27 February 2020 to upgrade land-based infrastructure such as transmitters, receivers and other equipment. A Babcock NZ press release September 2020 said the system would be “fully operational by August 2023.” A second contract was also signed for 20 years of through-life support.
However, the NZDF spokesperson said: “At this stage the Project is forecasting a 21-month delay; this results in a shift of the Operational Release date from August 2023 to May 2025. However, there may be further delays.”
Babcock has subcontracted Rohde & Schwarz Australia to deliver the M3SR Series 4100 HF radio, high power amplifiers (5kW and 10kW) and spares and support. The NZDF said that the equipment is currently being manufactured in-country.
The NZDF’s existing communications equipment dates from the 1980s and is in need of replacing. An RFI for the FHFRR was first issued in 2015. NZ Cabinet papers from December 2018 state that whilst the NZDF communicates from New Zealand to its deployed aircraft and ships using high frequency radio or satellite communications, “HF radio is the primary communications medium for smaller ships, aircraft, and for deployed forces when satellite is unavailable,” it said.
Smaller platforms include inshore patrol vessels and helicopters, whilst deployed forces will be at ranges up to 10,000km from NZ. The papers added that HF is “critical” for platforms working beyond 60 degrees South including the Southern Ocean and Antarctica” due to “a lack of satellite coverage below that mark.”
“Without the high frequency radio system, the Defence Force will be unable to communicate in a timely manner between deployed force elements and New Zealand in some circumstances. This may result in compromises to personnel safety, military operations, and an inability to perform some of the Government’s mandated objectives for the Defence Force,” it added.
The FHFRR contract will also provide an update to the Joint Remote Control System (JRCS), the introduction of Automatic Link Establishment/Management, the integration of the new HF system into the NZDF’s network C2 system and the integration of cryptographic equipment.
“The project will rationalise/consolidate and upgrade all fixed, owned or leased NZDF high frequency communications installations, facilities and stations,” the NZDF spokesperson said. But it appears that the JRCS will be replaced instead of updated, because spokesperson said the project will “replace the JRCS with a new system to control all NZDF high frequency equipment.”
A spokesperson from Babcock told ADM that the company “continues to work closely with the MoD on the FHFRR program and we are focused on achieving a fully functioning, integrated state-of-the-art FHFRR System for Factory Acceptance Testing in the near future.”
The spokesperson added: “We understand the critical nature of this system for the NZDF’s communication capabilities and as such we are supporting the existing JRCS system at our cost until we have delivered FHFRR.”
This could be why the NZDF spokesperson said that the budget for the FHFRR project is NZ$26.58 million and “is not forecast to be impacted by the delay.”
The NZDF has six existing HF radio sites at Papakura Military Camp; Dale Road, Seagrove; Waiouru Military Camp; RNZAF Base Ohakea, RNZAF Base Woodbourne; Weedons, West Melton near Christchurch. The 2018 papers said these are expected to be reduced to Waiouru and Weedons under the FHFRR.
The NZDF spokesperson said that the existing infrastructure “will stay in place until after the new system is established.”