Pacific 2010: Mine, mine, mine | ADM Dec 09/Jan 10
This is being pursued under Project SEA 1778 Phase 1 - Deployable MCM - Organic Mine Counter Measures.
Julian Kerr | Sydney
The project first appeared in the 2006-2016 Defence Capability Plan (DCP), with a year of decision planned for 2012-13 to 2014-15, in-service delivery set at 2015 to 2017, and expenditure estimated at $50 million to $75 million.
Forward to the 2009 DCP and SEA 1778 Phase 1 has had its year of decision delayed by a year until 2013-14 to 2015-16 although Initial Operating Capability remains 2015 to 2017.
The cost, however, has risen, under the new and far from precise acquisition estimates used in the DCP, to the lower end of a $100-$500 million band.
The project is based on the acquisition of a system of organic MCM components that can be embarked on the ships of a deploying task force group, and employed to overcome mine threats encountered during task group operations.
The project is currently in the requirements phase of the capability development process which is refining user needs in parallel with project options development.
According to a Defence spokesman, Capability Development Group, Navy, and the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) are working collaboratively to prepare the project for First Pass approval in 2010-11 to 2011-12.
Rapid Prototyping, Development and Evaluation (RPDE) has also been called in to assist in the development of system employment concepts.
The capability proposed will enhance the mine countermeasures force in being, which is centred on the RAN's six Huon class coastal minehunters and clearance diving teams.
The ultimate objective, clearly, is to support the broader range of operations enabled by the acquisition of the two Canberra class Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) amphibious ships.
As stated in the DCP, deployable MCM will provide maritime forces with the capability to accomplish mine detection, classification, identification, avoidance and when necessary, neutralisation.
It will be the initial means by which task groups will implement self-protective MCM along intended routes, through choke points and within objective areas.
This capability will be complemented by the current dedicated MCM force, which will consolidate MCM effort within the area of operations.
To achieve the required operational effects, components among various project options include task group deployable autonomous uninhabited vehicles (AUV) for the detection and classification of underwater mine-like objects; and task group deployable uninhabited surface vehicles (USV) for towing the existing RAN minesweeping systems.
Other options include swimmer delivery vehicles and remote actuation demolition systems for Australian Clearance Diving Teams (AUSCOT) elements deployed with the task group, and Expendable Mine Neutralisation System for stand-off neutralisation of mines.
Attributes
According to the DCP, the expendable mine neutralisation system capability is likely to be a fibre-guided weapon with shaped or blast charge warhead to neutralise ground, moored or surface mines.
This approach integrates newly-acquired capability systems with those elements of the existing MCM forces which are already deployable.
Defence says the triad of MCM concepts adopted by the Australian Defence Force (ADF) are those of shaping, manoeuvre and stabilisation MCM.
In essence, shaping achieves the knowledge requirements ahead of the task group.
It is primarily preemptive in nature and specifically concerned with detection, classification, identification, disposal or avoidance of the mine threat to allow friendly maritime forces to employ decisive manoeuvre against an adversary.
Maritime mines are widely available and could significantly impede maritime operations, particularly in narrow straits or harbours.
Different mine types tend to be employed in the littoral zones; land mines on the beach; anti-invasion mines in the surf zone; ground and short-tethered buoyant mines in the shallow zone; as well as ground, floating, tethered and deep rising mines in the deep water zone.
They range from simple cheap contact mines to sophisticated, relatively low-cost smart mines that can detect a variety of target vessel signatures including magnetic, acoustic, electrical or a lethal combination of all three.
Since no one system is capable of defeating mine threats within all zones, the eventual task force MCM capability under SEA 1778 Phase 1 will include a range of complementary systems.
Manoeuvre is part of the capability that brings MCM effects to bear in an area of interest to facilitate decisive manoeuvre to ensure continuity of operations in a mine threat area.
Stabilisation MCM will be largely performed by the Huon class minehunters coastal.
This concept consists of MCM measures aimed at consolidating and supporting control of the battlespace, nominally following, for example, an amphibious operation.
Stabilisation operations are expected to be long-term and provide high-volume sea room and risk reduction, ensuring the mine threat has been, and remains, neutralised.
For their MCM operations the Huons are fitted with a variable depth sonar capable of detection ranges in excess of 1,000 metres ahead of the ship.
When a mine is detected in a water column or on the seabed, the ship will ‘hover' about 200 metres from the contact.
A mine disposal vehicle or clearance divers will then be sent to investigate and neutralise the mine threat.
Each ship is fitted with a pair of electrically-powered Bofors Underwater Systems Double Eagle mine disposal vehicles equipped with a searchlight, closed-circuit low light television camera and an on-board close range identification sonar.
Commands are relayed via a fibre optic link inside the vehicle's tether, which also relays sensor images for display on the ship's multifunction console in the operations room.
Each Double Eagle vehicle is fitted with either a disposal charge slung beneath, or an explosive or mechanical cutter designed to sever the wire rope or chain holding moored mines.
However, the range of the systems proposed by SEA 1778 will allow different effects to be delivered from a variety of maritime task group platforms, some relatively small.
The two LHDs will be a key asset since they will be able to transport the full range of capability required by the project.
Surprisingly, Defence says there is no requirement for any elements of the MCM under consideration to be deployable from future naval helicopters.
UUVs
UUVs are currently being trialled in MCM roles globally and Defence points specifically to those of Norway and New Zealand.
In future years, Australia could be expected to benefit from the UK's experience as it transitions from the Huon class minehunters to the multi-role vessels intended to fulfill the MCM as well as the patrol and hydrographic roles.
The REMUS 100 systems acquired by the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) in 2006 and 2007 can dive to 100 metres and are capable of conducting an 80-kilometre sonar survey at a speed of three knots.
The Remus systems are backed up in the RNZN by a Sea Eye Remote Operated Vehicle, similar to a tethered mini-submersible, with a 300-metre depth rating.
The Sea Eye is fitted both with sonar and with a high resolution video camera to allow targets to be identified.
The Royal Norwegian Navy has had an operable AUV MCM capability for more than five years utilising Kongsberg's HUGIN mine reconnaissance system.
For its part, the RAN has sponsored research by the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) into the unmanned maritime vehicle area for more than 10 years.
The vehicles, generally leased, have ranged from the 40-kilogram hand-deployable REMUS 100 to the 1,750-kilogram Atlas Maridan Sea Otter 1, all carrying high-resolution conventional or synthetic-aperture side-looking sonar as their primary sensors.
However, in April 2007 the RAN purchased a REMUS 600 AUV to assist in developing a concept for the future employment of such systems in the ADF.
This was the first sale outside the US of a REMUS 600, which is based on the same technology as the REMUS 100 but is designed to operate to depths of up to 600 metres and has an endurance of more than 70 hours.
Importantly in the context of SEA 1778 Phase 1, Remus 600 can be deployed from any vessel equipped with a one-tonne crane or davit.