Publication:Plan Blue 2006/Fundamental Inputs to Capability - Major Systems
| 59 | a. | The Future Navy[1] must comprise a fleet of adaptable, flexible multi-mission platforms. |
| b. | The Future Navy must possess survivability through layered defence systems, signature management, platform robustness and system redundancy. | |
| c. | The Future Navy must be capable of operating effectively in the absence of continuous land-based, air-delivered capabilities and logistic support, or accept operational risk in these circumstances. Navy must be able to sustain itself and support joint or combined forces for the required operational viability periods from the sea. Navy must have the capability for sustained presence in the maritime areas of the littoral. | |
| d. | The Future Navy must be able to exchange C2 and targeting information within a joint and coalition environment. Navy must acquire precision weapons to complement increased knowledge and command and control capabilities to achieve an assured engagement capability. | |
| e. | The Future Navy must possess the Command, Control, Communications and Computers (C4) capabilities required to maintain interoperability with coalition forces in the future. This is particularly the case when operating with US forces. | |
| f. | The potential for block platform obsolescence in the period 2025-30 to generate potentially large capability gaps must be addressed by 2015. | |
| g. | The Future Navy, supported by enabling organisations, must ensure the cost effectiveness of through-life support for our major systems. |
Guidance
60. Multi-Mission Platforms. The Future Navy is best served by a fleet of adaptable, flexible, multi-mission systems with maximised combat power that can collectively exert local area sea control in multi-threat environments. Uninhabited autonomous vehicles must play a greater role in the future, generating even greater flexibility. Ships, submarines and aircraft must be designed with open platform and system architectures offering the flexibility for modification through life. Larger platforms should be acquired for their ability to operate with greater range, endurance, resilience and survivability, and as they are more cost effective to adapt or modify. The through-life cost of ownership in operating costs must be considered in these acquisitions.
61. Layered and Multi-Dimensional Defence. The Future Navy must adopt a layered and multi-dimensional defensive strategy to effectively deal with a complex littoral threat environment. This strategy must include the ability to prepare the battlespace through advance force operations including Military geospatial information and reconnaissance, surveillance and intelligence. Every platform must have a minimum level of self-defence within the umbrella of group and force defensive layers for maximum survivability This requires a combination of integrated systems to perform the functions of Counter-Detection, Counter-Targeting, Detection, Classification, Identification, Engagement, and Counter-Engagement. To fully exploit the effectiveness of expensive sensors, weapons and countermeasures systems, platforms must incorporate signature reduction technologies such as stealth design, radar absorbent materials and acoustic signature management systems. These systems are most effectively incorporated during design and build. Integral to a small force's concept of manoeuvre is the notion of deception. The Future Navy must pursue a strategy to develop systems to complicate an adversary's targeting picture, such as a common emitters across all surface and sub-surface platforms. This strategy also generates benefits through training, maintenance and logistic support efficiencies.
62. Network-Centric Power Projection. The Future Navy will continue to require global reach. Navy must be prepared to operate without a FOB either due to lack of access or a lack of infrastructure. The capability to strike land targets must be a key area of consideration. The Air Warfare Destroyer will form the command and control building block around which the Future Navy's KC2 systems will be grown. All future Navy major fleet unit combat systems must be interoperable with the Air Warfare Destroyer to ensure Navy benefits from network-centric concepts and achieves the goals set out under the KC2 pillar of the FMOC. Further, the Future Fleet's KC2 systems must be connected to relevant Air Force and Army battlefield systems and meet joint networking standards. Transition to open architectures in the short term is a key initiative so that the long-term benefits of increasing computing power can be obtained. Current high levels of systems interoperability with US forces will remain a priority, in particular through AWD's KC2 systems and the Aegis combat system.
63. Block Obsolescence. Navy must take action to spread the planned withdrawal dates of major systems to mitigate the funding risks associated with a period of block obsolescence. To achieve this Navy must task DSTO and DMO to investigate major systems and assess their cost-effective service life. This analysis must then be fed into the capability development process to mitigate the effects of block obsolescence.
64. Reducing the Cost of Ownership. A number of strategies must be pursued to reduce the cost of ownership of Major Systems. These include reductions in Ships' companies, automation of ship systems, common systems across platforms and common platforms. These strategies will need to generate logistic, maintenance and training efficiencies. Commercial-off-the-shelf and military-off-theshelf strategies must be considered for each acquisition in an attempt to drive down acquisition costs and the costs of ownership. DSTO will continue to play a major role in assisting DMO and Navy to develop innovative methods of minimising the cost of ownership of our major systems.
65. The broad capability guidance above, subsequent capability gap analysis and the major systems strategies discussed must be incorporated into the capability process through Navy Force Structure Strategic Guidance (NFSSG), and the Defence Capability Plan (DCP) and be implemented through Plan Green and The Navy Strategy - Charting the Course to 2025.
Footnotes
- ↑ Major Systems are those costing more than A$1m and/or have significant defence policy or joint implications. This includes ships, submarines, aircraft, missile systems, target systems and major electronic systems.
