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EDITORIAL COMMENT


Coles Review highlights Aussie sub force issues


The Coles Review is looking into the problems associated with the Collins class and will inform work on the Future Submarine project.


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ate 2011 saw Australia’s Minister for Defence, Stephen Smith, release the report of Phase 1 of the


Review of the Sustainment of Australia’s Collins class submarines, the Coles Review. Te review is being led by John Coles, an independent expert from BMT Defence Services in the UK. Sustainment of the Collins class


submarines is at the top of the Austral- ian government’s ‘Projects of Concern’ list. Smith said the sustainment of the submarine fleet was a complex task that has proven challenging for defence and the Australian Submarine Corporation (ASC) for a lengthy period of time. Te Coles Review is examin- ing complex engineering issues associated with submarine sustainment. Just as the earlier Rizzo Report provided a


plan to improve the repair and management of the Royal Australian Navy’s amphibious fleet, Coles is developing a plan to improve the repair and management of the Austral- ian submarine fleet. “Te Coles review is an important step


in implementing improvements to the way the Collins class submarines have been sustained over a long period,” Smith said. Among the key findings, Phase 1 of the


• poor submarine availability caused by a crew shortfall, lack of spares and unreli-


report identifies a range of key issues that need to be addressed. Tese include:


• a lack of cohesion in strategic leadership; able equipment;


• the Department of Finance and Deregu- lation, the Defence Materiel Organisa-


• a lack of clarity around accountability, authority and responsibility;


tion (DMO), Navy and Industry not working collectively as an ‘enterprise’;


Warship Technology May 2012


• submarine knowledge is thinly spread;


• there is a lack of robustness in the navy’s contribution to manning and sustainment;


• a performance-based ethos not being embedded in ASC;


requirement and unrealistic goals.


Among Coles’ interim recommendations are the following:


• resources should be directed to the provision of spares leading directly to


• any decision to reduce the agreed Materiel Ready Days in a year should only be taken


increased availability;


• the In-Service Support Contact (ISSC) between the Defence Materiel Organisa-


by the Collins class programme manager;


• the classification of Priority 1 Urgent Defects by the submarine commander


tion and ASC, currently under discussion, should be placed as planned;


• as part of the crew training programme, Commanding Officers, Marine


should be moderated by Commander SUBFOR to avoid over classifica- tion purely to increase priority of spares; and


Engineering Officers and Weapons Electrical Engineering Officers should undertake a pre-joining course at ASC and Pacific Marine Batter- ies (and other key suppliers) to gain a better insight into some of the intrin- sic submarine design and equipment characteristics. Implementation of these recommendations was due to commence immediately.


Te Phase 1 report proposes the scope


• there is no long-term strategic plan for efficient use of assets;


• there is no long-term strategic plan for efficient asset utilisation, and unclear


of work for Phase 2 of the review. Coles has proposed four areas for detailed analysis. These are: integration and programme management; commercial; engineering reliability; and costing. In Phase 2, the review team will gather and


analyse data to put forward well-evidenced findings and recommendations on how to improve performance in Collins submarine sustainment. Coles was due to provide the Phase 2


report in April 2012, and Warship Technol- ogy will follow-up on that when published. The Coles Review will also inform


development of the Royal Australian Navy’s Future Submarine Project. Identified in the 2009 Defence White Paper,


the SEA 1000 Future Submarine Project seeks to acquire an increased and enhanced submarine capability that will provide the Australian Defence Force with a submarine capability beyond the planned withdrawal date of the Collins class submarines. SEA 1000 will, it is hoped, provide


Australia with a new and more potent defence capability with greater range, longer patrol endurance and increased capability compared to the Collins class submarines. Key capabilities will include:


anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface warfare; strike; intelligence; surveillance and reconnaissance; electronic warfare; mine warfare; and support to Special Forces and advance force operations. Construction of the submarines is scheduled to commence around 2016. Te report of Phase 1 of the Review of


the Sustainment of Australia’s Collins Class submarines is available at: http://www. defence.gov.au/dmo/. WT


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