Engine problems together with a shortage of qualified clearance diving personnel were to blame for a decrease of 358 unit available days (UADs) in financial year 2021-22 for the RAN’s four Huon-class mine hunters coastal (MHC), a Senate Estimates hearing was told.
Chief of Navy Mike Noonan told the 17 February hearing that a scheduled refit for 2023-24 would result in a reduction in the MHCs’ UAD forecast when the refit schedule was confirmed – which had yet to happen.
Rear Admiral Wendy Malcolm, head Maritime Systems at CASG, pointed to the minehunters’ age (built between 1994 and 2003) as the primary reason for their reduced reliability.
“We have had a couple of significant defects on the minehunters, particularly relating to their diesel engine which is a known issue that we’ve been dealing with for some time, so it’s not just with one of the minehunters,” RADM Malcolm said.
“If I might add, the definition of ‘UAD’ takes into account the material state of the platform and also its personnel state and their level of competence in order to safely perform the tasks that the unit would normally undertake.
“So, for the MHCs, which are largely crewed by qualified clearance diving personnel, there is a factor there that is attributed to the workforce.”
Vice Admiral Noonan pointed out that the clearance diving workforce across Navy had been fragile over the last couple of years.
“The loss of UAD for the MHCs would be a combination of defects, and, in some cases, not having sufficiently qualified and in-date personnel for that,” he commented.