ON THE RECORD: CHIEF OF NAVY’S SIGNAL ON COLLINS CAPABILITY

 As per transmission:

1.  TODAY, THE AUSTRALIAN STRATEGIC POLICY INSTITUTE (ASPI) RELEASED
ITS PAPER QUOTE MIND THE GAP: GETTING SERIOUS ABOUT SUBMARINES
UNQUOTE.  AS A RESULT OF THIS THERE HAS BEEN SOME QUITE CRITICAL, AND
IN SOME CASES DATED, ANALYSIS REPORTED IN THE PRESS.

2.  THERE IS NO DENYING THE ISSUE THAT SUBMARINE AVAILABILITY IS NOT
WHERE WE NEED IT TO BE.   WE REQUIRE THREE BOATS RUNNING CONSISTENTLY
TO ENSURE WE MEET OUR VARIOUS COMMITMENTS WHILE ALSO TRAINING
SUBMARINERS AS WE BUILD EXPERIENCE LEVELS AND OVERALL WORKFORCE
NUMBERS.   OUR SUBMARINE ARM HAS GROWN STEADILY SINCE 2008 AND HAS A
HEALTHY TRAINING PIPELINE.  OUR IMMEDIATE GOALS THIS YEAR ARE
ACHIEVING OUR FPDA, KAKADU AND RIMPAC EXERCISE COMMITMENTS AND
ACHIEVING THE GOAL OF ESTABLISHING THE FOURTH SUBMARINE CREW.  THIS
LATTER TASK REMAINS FINELY BALANCED BUT IS BEING CLOSELY MANAGED AND
OVERSEEN BY CNSAC.

3.  I HAD THE PRIVILEDGE OF SPENDING NEARLY 24 HOURS UNDERWAY IN
HMAS DECHAINEUX LAST YEAR IN A VERY BUSY OPERATIONAL SETTING.  WHAT I
SAW WAS A VERY CAPABLE BOAT WITH AN EXCEPTIONALLY PROFESSIONAL AND
HARD WORKING TEAM. IT GAVE ME GREAT HEART TO SEE THE SKILL LEVELS
RESIDENT IN THE FORCE - WE SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF OUR SUBMARINERS.

4.  THE ASPI PAPER HIGHLIGHTS A NUMBER OF WELL-KNOWN ISSUES WITH THE
COLLINS CLASS. SOME ISSUES ARE HISTORICAL AND HAVE BEEN REMEDIED.
THESE INCLUDE THE SUBMARINE'S COMBAT CAPABILITY.  SOON, ALL OF OUR
SUBMARINES WILL BE EQUIPPED WITH THE SAME COMBAT SYSTEM INSTALLED IN
THE USN SUBMARINE FLEET.  WE ALSO SHARE THE SAME ADVANCED HEAVY
WEIGHT TORPEDO.  THESE IMPROVEMENTS, ALONG WITH THE CLOSE
RELATIONSHIP WE'VE DEVELOPED WITH THE USN SUBMARINE FORCE, HAVE
ENABLED US TO MAINTAIN HIGH LEVELS OF OPERATIONAL PROFICIENCY.
SIMILARLY REGULAR, COMPLEX EXERCISES WITH USN SUBMARINES ARE PROVING
THE CAPABILITY OF THE COLLINS CLASS TO OPERATE VERY EFFECTIVELY IN
ITS WARFIGHTING ROLES.

5.  THE CURRENT ISSUES RAISED IN THE ASPI PAPER ARE THE FOCUS OF
ONGOING AND CONCERTED EFFORTS TO IMPROVE OVERALL RELIABILITY ACROSS
THE SUBMARINE FLEET.  THESE EFFORTS ARE MEETING WITH SUCCESS AND NAVY
, DMO, AND INDUSTRY ARE WORKING TOGETHER CLOSELY TO SYSTEMATICALLY
ADDRESS REMAINING ISSUES.  WE ARE ALSO CONDUCTING THE ANALYSIS
EXPECTED OF US IN ASSESSING THE ABILITY OF THE COLLINS CLASS TO
OPERATE BEYOND THE TIME WE ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO DECOMMISSION THE
BOATS- A TASK OTHER NAVIES HAVE UNDERTAKEN WITH SIMILAR RIGOUR AND
WITH SOME SUCCESS.

6.  YOU WILL APPRECIATE THAT WE DO NOT PUBLICLY DISCUSS THE
OPERATIONAL CAPABILITY OF THE COLLINS FLEET OR ANY OTHER DEFENCE
CAPABILITY FOR GENUINE REASONS OF NATIONAL SECURITY.  I CAN SAY THAT
I REMAIN CONFIDENT IN THE CAPACITY OF THE SUBMARINE FORCE TO MEET THE
OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF GOVERNMENT.  THE COLLINS CLASS RETAINS
ITS RELEVANCE AS A POTENT STRATEGIC CAPABILITY, REFLECTING BOTH THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR SUBMARINES AS WELL AS THE PROFESSIONALISM OF OUR
PEOPLE.

7.  COMMANDING OFFICERS ARE TO ENSURE THAT THE CONTENT OF THIS
SIGNAL RECIEVES THE WIDEST DISTRIBUTION.