Patrick Durrant | Sydney
Under the Collins Class Enterprise Transformation Program which arose out of the Coles Review, plans were advanced to improve capability in ASC's WA facilities (ASC West) .
The delivery of HMAS Farncomb to the RAN in May 2016 was a watershed moment, marking completion of the first two-year full cycle docking (FCD) as part of the new 10+2 (10 years in-service followed by a two-year FCD) Usage Upkeep Cycle (UUC).
“Management have to run two very high tempo maintenance availabilities at the same time.”
As part of the 10+2 Phase 2 transformation program, ASC West has been structured to optimally support five boats out of WA and its facilities at Henderson have been developed accordingly.
Now the rest of the class is being shifted to the improved UUC and ASC's general manager Collins Class Submarine (CCSM) Craig Vandepeer said 2017 was shaping up to be a big year, following the presence of five Collins Class submarines in the west achieved late last year.
“That is really built on the fact that ASC North (the Osborne, SA facility) was able to deliver a two-year full cycle docking. That sets us up for an exciting year as the Navy now has benchmark performance for availability,” he said.
Recently there were two submarines (HMAS Sheean undergoing a year-long mid-cycle docking [MCD] and HMAS Waller an intermediate maintenance period [IMP], lasting 12 weeks) at ASC West.
"Management have to run two very high tempo maintenance availabilities at the same time,” UUC Transformation program manager Max Noble said.
He added the goal was keeping the boats in the water as much as possible and “anything that saves days and can be conducted safely and faster,” was in their sights.
“A great example is the lessons learnt in Adelaide on blast and paint; working with some of our key contractors we got through the tanks and completed [the work] far faster than we used to.”
Another more recent example of the 10+2 initiative that has delivered great benefits is the mobile hydraulic cleaning and scrubbing facility developed for use at either Henderson on the mainland or at Fleet Base West on the other side of Cockburn Sound.
“That has halved the amount of time that it takes us to get the oil prepared for re-use," Noble said.
ASC West realised it needed to drastically increase the number of pressure hull welders in its employ, having started with four when it opened in 2008. Submarine Manager ASC West Steve Hickey said they've since increased that number by almost 500 per cent, with the locally trained apprentices having achieved their full qualification at ASC North.
“The fabrication facility has increased in other areas as well, with additional boilermakers and pipefitters joining the now 390-strong workforce,” Hickey added.
Noble said the company is now looking for beyond benchmark performance - “what is it we do next to keep on improving?”
UUC Stream 3 Transformation Manager Jennifer Veale said Stream 3 was about finding improvement in the MCD and Intermediate Docking (ID) maintenance programs through aspects such as processes, affinity of people, stores, and technology.
“When we started looking at those things, we realised we needed to upgrade the facility. It's really about easier access for the workers so they're closer to the submarine.”
ASC West is currently undergoing an upgrade which will see the construction of a maintenance support tower and sky bridge to further improve the efficiency of submarine maintenance. The maintenance support tower includes amenities such as tool stores, workshops and offices, and provides access to external man and material hoists.