Publication:Navy Engineering Bulletin March 2006/From the Editor's Desk

We must be doing something right as many commercial organisations have approached me in the last few months wishing to advertise in the Bulletin. I have resisted these advances as I feel that a bulletin full of adds detracts from the engineering content. The current format seems very popular with our readers and hence we have no intentions of changing it.

As usual, I have the pleasure on announcing the prize winners from the last edition. The Chief Naval Engineer, CDRE Rick Longbottom reviews the articles and photos to select prize winners. The five categories that prizes are awarded in are: Best Article by an Officer, Best Article by a Senior Sailor, Best Article by a Junior Sailor, Best Article by a Civilian and Best Photo. The well-deserved winners from Issue 9 are as follows:

1. LCDR Dave Walter has won a two-day short course of his choosing sponsored Engineering Education Australia for his article on HMAS BALLARAT's grounding.
2. CPOMT P. Corcoran has won a two-day short course of his choosing sponsored by the Chilfey Business School for his submission on Water Mist Fire Suppression Systems.
3. Mr. Graham Langdown from Directorate of Navy Platform Systems has won $100 for his article on Habitability and the Future RAN Fleet.
4. Finally the best photo was awarded to POPHOT Pawlenko for his phot of HMAS ANZAC's 5 inch gun in action of the coast of Scotland during the recent Northern Trident deployment. He also receives $100 for his efforts

Congratulations to all our prize winners. I will be in touch with you all shortly to arrange receipt of your prize. Once again the Junior Sailor category goes unclaimed as there were no submissions from our junior ranks. I am pleased to see that this edition does have a Junior Sailor submission, but quite embarrassed to note that it comes from a Bosun's Mate and not a Techo. Unfortunately for AB Kelly, the prize that has been unclaimed for so many editions doesn't jackpot but I suspect that as the only submission for this edition, he should be $100 richer. I hope this example inspires our technical Junior Sailors to get writing. I guess it could have been worse; a writer or store bashers could have won it!

Whilst not quite as large as the previous Bulletin, this edition is still packed with great articles and photos from across the Engineering Community. I was sitting at my desk with a week to go before the deadline thinking that I wouldn't have enough articles to print a pamphlet let alone an entire NEB, but in the last couple of days prior to the deadline, articles came flying in thick and fast pushing this edition towards 100 pages again.

RADM Ruting has been kind enough to submit a preface for this edition. It is always good to hear from our Senior Naval Engineer.

Once again we have some submissions from recent graduates of the MEAC/WEAC Courses and LEUT Andrew Dawes gives the Flight Test Engineers at AMAFTU some exposure with his well written article. LCDR Whiteley has provided a snapshot of the new Engineer Officer Application Course and the pilot course presently underway at CERBERUS and ADFA.

Our colour section features some very interesting articles including a submission from the Royal New Zealand Navy on 'Project Protector', the new breed of vessels being constructed for them by TENEX. Adam Williams from ADI Limited has provided an article on the Design and Construction of Army Watercraft which makes for interesting reading. This is the first in a series of regular articles we can expect to see from ADI Limited.

Also in our colour section you will find our regular featured sections like 'Bravo Zulu' and 'Know Your Senior Engineers' as well as a follow up article from BMT SeaTech Ltd on maritimeEXODUS discussing the latest technological advances in ship evacuation.

I am also happy to announce that the 'Letters to the Editor' section I introduced in the last edition received a couple of responses and it is hoped that this will gain popularity in future editions. If something you read raises a question, then it is a safe bet that someone else is probably thinking the same thing so put pen to paper and submit any comments.

All said, there is plenty for everyone in this edition and I am very pleased to be presenting another thick edition full of great articles for your enjoyment.

DW