no air launched mu90 for RAN
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23897956-31477,00.html
Integration doubts sink $300m torpedo project
Patrick Walters, National security editor | June 21, 2008
DEFENCE Minister Joel Fitzgibbon has dumped a $300 million plan to fit anti-submarine torpedoes to the navy's Seahawk helicopters and the RAAF's AP3 Orion surveillance aircraft.
The European MU90 lightweight torpedo is being fitted to the navy's Anzac and FFG-class frigates, but the airborne phase of the $616 million project is now considered a high-risk integration challenge by the Government.
"I am pleased that we have been able to make the MU90 work off the navy's warships," Mr Fitzgibbon said. "However, I was not prepared to follow the previous government's practice of gambling with taxpayers' money by proceeding with the allocation of $300million to fit the torpedo to various aircraft while doubt remained that it would work properly in that role."
The Defence Department had planned to fit the torpedo to up to five separate platforms starting with the Anzac frigates, adding to the overall risk of the project.
Mr Fitzgibbon said the Government would need to be reassured via the upcoming defence white paper that an upgraded air-launched lightweight torpedo was essential for the defence force.
"A complicated systems-integration task involving old aircraft sets off several bright-red warning lights for me, especially when Australia would have been the only country attempting to make that aircraft and weapon combination," he said.
Early this year, the Rudd Government scrapped the $1billion Seasprite helicopter, to which the MU90 was due to be fitted, after years of delays and cost overruns driven by systems integration problems.
The MU90 is 3m long, weighs 300kg and has a range of up to 10km. Already in service with five European navies, it is designed to track and hit submarines at depths of more than 1km.
The Defence Department ordered the MU90 in 1999 amid concerns about the long-term submarine build-up in Asian navies, led by China's.
The torpedo program, Project Djimindi, is a partnership between the Defence Department, Thales Australia, French defence manufacturer DCNS and Italian torpedo-maker Whitehead Alenia.
Last week, the navy successfully test-fired the MU90 from the Anzac frigate HMAS Toowoomba - the first time the torpedo had been fired from an Australian warship. The MU90 has been acquired in three phases, and all eight Anzac frigates are now capable of launching the weapon.
Mr Fitzgibbon also expressed concerns over the RAAF's $3.5 billion Project Wedgetail, involving the delivery of six airborne early warning aircraft from 2010.
"I was disappointed to be informed recently by the prime contractor on the project, Boeing, that there will be a further slippage of 10 months in the delivery of the first fully capable aircraft," he said.
"This is a total delay of 38 months against the original contract the former government entered into."
Fair enough I guess, with the proviso that I would expect at least some of the ADF MRH-90 fleet to be capable of carrying the MU90.
Has there been any word as to ASuW capabilities for ADF MRH-90?
rb
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23897956-31477,00.html
Integration doubts sink $300m torpedo project
Patrick Walters, National security editor | June 21, 2008
DEFENCE Minister Joel Fitzgibbon has dumped a $300 million plan to fit anti-submarine torpedoes to the navy's Seahawk helicopters and the RAAF's AP3 Orion surveillance aircraft.
The European MU90 lightweight torpedo is being fitted to the navy's Anzac and FFG-class frigates, but the airborne phase of the $616 million project is now considered a high-risk integration challenge by the Government.
"I am pleased that we have been able to make the MU90 work off the navy's warships," Mr Fitzgibbon said. "However, I was not prepared to follow the previous government's practice of gambling with taxpayers' money by proceeding with the allocation of $300million to fit the torpedo to various aircraft while doubt remained that it would work properly in that role."
The Defence Department had planned to fit the torpedo to up to five separate platforms starting with the Anzac frigates, adding to the overall risk of the project.
Mr Fitzgibbon said the Government would need to be reassured via the upcoming defence white paper that an upgraded air-launched lightweight torpedo was essential for the defence force.
"A complicated systems-integration task involving old aircraft sets off several bright-red warning lights for me, especially when Australia would have been the only country attempting to make that aircraft and weapon combination," he said.
Early this year, the Rudd Government scrapped the $1billion Seasprite helicopter, to which the MU90 was due to be fitted, after years of delays and cost overruns driven by systems integration problems.
The MU90 is 3m long, weighs 300kg and has a range of up to 10km. Already in service with five European navies, it is designed to track and hit submarines at depths of more than 1km.
The Defence Department ordered the MU90 in 1999 amid concerns about the long-term submarine build-up in Asian navies, led by China's.
The torpedo program, Project Djimindi, is a partnership between the Defence Department, Thales Australia, French defence manufacturer DCNS and Italian torpedo-maker Whitehead Alenia.
Last week, the navy successfully test-fired the MU90 from the Anzac frigate HMAS Toowoomba - the first time the torpedo had been fired from an Australian warship. The MU90 has been acquired in three phases, and all eight Anzac frigates are now capable of launching the weapon.
Mr Fitzgibbon also expressed concerns over the RAAF's $3.5 billion Project Wedgetail, involving the delivery of six airborne early warning aircraft from 2010.
"I was disappointed to be informed recently by the prime contractor on the project, Boeing, that there will be a further slippage of 10 months in the delivery of the first fully capable aircraft," he said.
"This is a total delay of 38 months against the original contract the former government entered into."
Fair enough I guess, with the proviso that I would expect at least some of the ADF MRH-90 fleet to be capable of carrying the MU90.
Has there been any word as to ASuW capabilities for ADF MRH-90?
rb
