Australia’s Coastwatch: A Public-Private Model for Coast Guards and CBP

Keeping watch

Australia’s long coast is also its border, and they’ve taken an innovative approach to the problem. Unlike, say, the US Coast Guard, Australia has semi-privatized the coastal patrol function, placing contractors under the Customs service. Once intruders are detected, these contractors can then call on pre-arranged support from civil authorities and/or the Royal Australian Navy and Air Force. Contracted services of this nature are becoming more common around the world, but Australia was really breaking new ground when they began Coastwatch on such a large scale in 1995.

Coastwatch was re-competed, and in 2006, Cobham’s subsidiary Surveillance Australia Pty Ltd retained the contract through the A$ 1+ billion next phase, called Project Sentinel. The new contract under Australia’s CMS04 (Civil Maritime Surveillance 04) program has expanded the fleet and addressed some concerns, but there are still areas where Australia lags a bit behind the leading edge. Even so, Coastwatch remain a touchstone program for countries considering a similar path.

P-3 Orion’s SMIP Program Keeps on Rolling

P-3 Orion, armed -
note Sidewinder

The P-3 Orion remains the USA’s main maritime patrol aircraft, and is also finding use in overland surveillance roles despite the fleet’s age. Earlier DID articles have noted the extra effort required to preserve the USA’s P-3C Orion maritime surveillance & patrol aircraft, along with radar and weapons upgrades to improve the fleet. Lockheed has even opened a new production line, to deal with planes whose wings that are so aged and worn that they need a full replacement.

The SMIP (Sustainment, Modification, and Installation Program) is intensive depot-level inspection and repair process that includes P-3 airframe and component inspection, identification of problems, and corrective maintenance. The idea is to ensure safe and reliable P-3 use, while trying to get more hours out of each airframe in order to sustain dwindling global fleets. More intensive “MIP” efforts may be launched once inspection results become clear, such as the USA’s P-3 recovery plan and full “ASLEP” re-winging efforts underway in Norway and Canada…

• SMIP Activities
  
• SMIP Contracts [updated]
  
• Additional Readings
  

Rapid Fire Oct. 31, 2012: J-31 Maiden Flight

• According to the usual blogs dedicated to watching (or intentionally leaking?) China’s military efforts, AVIC’s J-31 prototype jet fighter made a short maiden flight earlier today. However the Chinese will have to spend dearly to develop competitive homegrown engines.

• The Philippine’s Coast Guard is finalizing the purchase of 5 French patrol vessels for a total of $4.8B pesos (around $116M). Manila Standard.

• French contractors have their sights on a much bigger market, with 20 billion euros at stake in Qatar, between jets, helicopters, air defense systems and more. La Tribune [in French].

• Talks of Russia’s “secret” B-90 Sarov submarines are resurfacing, as they are reportedly close to testing one equipped with hydrogen fuel cells. How to achieve Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) – aside from using nuclear power of course – was already envisioned about 80 years ago, but since then achieving it reliably and safely has proven difficult until fairly recently. German Type 212 subs use fuel cells developed by Siemens and HDW.

• The US DoD announced publicly that its Military Intelligence Program for 2012 amounted to $21.5B down from $24B in 2011, though it alone is higher than many countries’ entire defense budget. The administration’s request for FY13 is $19.2B. That’s about all you will know about it short of having the right clearance.

• The European Union is considering sending 200 troops to train Mali’s military, but that will take time and they are not to be involved in a fighting role. Reuters.

• Finmeccanica signed a “global supply chain deed” with the Australian Ministry of Defence, in the footsteps of other large contractors including Thales, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman. The contractors commit to hiring a team that finds and certifies Australian businesses to join their supply chains.

• The Maritime Security Challenges conference that was held in Canada earlier this month posted videos of its panels that include several sessions on aircraft carrier developments in the US (embedded below), the UK, and China.

Rapid Fire Oct. 30, 2012: Oshkosh in for a Fight

• After Oshkosh’s board of directors rejected Carl Icahn’s tender offer, it is not surprising that they do not like the candidates the investor lined up to replace them.

• Lockheed Martin won a $114M 5-year contract to deliver and upgrade combat vehicle simulators for the US Army and Marine Corps. Press release | FBO.

• China likes their medium-weight armored vehicles to pack a punch. AviationWeek.

Rapid Fire Oct. 29, 2012: Spike This

• Japan’s Board of Audit says Mitsubishi Electric has overcharged the defense ministry for decades. AP | Japan Times.

• The US Navy’s first launch of Rafael Spike missiles from an unmanned surface vessel was successful. NAVSEA.

• Two days after nominating a new chief for AFRICOM, Rear Admiral Charles M. Gaouette has been temporarily reassigned off the command Carrier Strike Group (CSG) Three (deployed in the Middle East) until a pending investigation by the Navy Inspector General is finished. What’s being investigated is unclear. US Navy | AP.

India Moves to Boost Anti-Tank Capabilities

Indian T-90S

India’s armed forces have been complaining of a severe shortage of tank ammunition, and the fleet’s new T-90 tanks have had their share of problems. Over the last couple of weeks, India’s Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has moved to patch these gaps, by approving budgets for a pair of purchases. One is a gun-launched missile that can make the T-90 fleet more effective, while supplementing existing tank ammunition. The other is a follow-on order for an anti-tank missile that can be used by the infantry or mounted on vehicles.

Taken together, India hopes to add some punch to its mechanized divisions in particular.

VBTP Guarani: A New APC for Brazil

VBTP concept

In December 2009, Brazil signed a EUR 2.5 billion deal with Italy’s Iveco that aims to renew its wheeled armored personnel carrier fleet, and revive Brazil’s land vehicle defense industry in the bargain. The 6×6 Guarani Viatura Blindada Transporte de Pessoal, Media de Rodas (VBTP-MR) is envisaged as a vehicle family that can replace Engesa’s EE-11 and EE-9 wheeled vehicles. Those platforms have suffered from age-related problems, questionable protection levels, and a shortage of ready spares since Engesa’s 1993 bankruptcy.

Iveco is best known around the world for its trucks, but its Iveco Fiat Oto Melara joint venture has designed and fielded the core of Italy’s tank, wheeled APC, and tracked IFV fleets. The firm already has the new Puma wheeled 6×6/ 4×4 APC in its offering set, but the VBTP will offer them a new market, a new joint venture, and new export opportunities.

Rapid Fire Oct. 26, 2012: Russian Aircraft Acquisition Plans

• Russia intends to renew a significant part of its air force through the modernization or procurement of new aircraft over the coming years. Dmitry Gorenburg (based on a VPK article in Russian).

• Rolls-Royce is putting together a new ship design team dedicated to developing support, surveying, and offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) for navies and coast guards – but not heavier combat ships. Press release.

• A report from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) questions the decision by the Corps of Engineers to reach a settlement with DynCorp after structural failures were seen in a garrison built in Afghanistan. The company “absolutely disagree with several of the report.s conclusions”. SIGAR [PDF] | Bloomberg.

Sub contracting: HII’s USN Submarine Fleet Support Contracts

SSN-23 at Kitsap

Huntington Ingalls, Inc. (HII), headquartered in Newport News, VA is issued regular contracts to support all American submarine classes: SSN-688 Los Angeles, SSN-21 Seawolf, and SSN-774 Virginia Class fast attack boats, and SSBN/SSGN Ohio missile submarines. HII will support the fleet as needed by managing configuration, support, and engineering data; providing parts and engineering; and conducting modernization, trade, and industrial studies. They may also be called to help with special mission submersibles, submarine support facilities, and some Foreign Military Sales programs.

The USA’s other submarine manufacturer, General Dynamics Electric Boat, has a larger support contract of its own; together, these awards maintain both the USA’s submarines and its industrial capacity.

Soldier Battle JTRS: The HMS Radio Set

PRC-154 with 75th RR

The Pentagon’s JTRS (Joint Tactical Radio System) aimed to replace existing radios in the American military with a single set of software-define radios that could have new frequencies and modes (“waveforms”) added via upload, instead of requiring multiple radio types in ground vehicles, and using circuit board swaps in order to upgrade. Trying to solve that set of problems across the entire American military meant taking on a very a big problem. Maybe too big. JTRS has seen cost overruns and full program restructurings, along with cancellation of some parts of the program.

JTRS HMS (Handheld, Manpack & Small Form-Fit) radios, for use by the individual solder, have survived the tumult, and are now headed into production. They offer soldiers more than just improved communications, and have performed in exercises and on the front lines. Now, production is ramping up.