Sydney’s ‘NOTE worthy’ milestones
7 December 2010 By Michael Brooke
Hunting a stealth Collins Class submarine and evading attack by marauding jet fighters rate among HMAS Sydney’s “N.O.T.E worthy” milestones she achieved recently while demonstrating her FFGUP capabilities.
The milestones were reached during Sydney’s Naval Operation Test and Evaluation (NOTE) conducted off the East Australian Exercise Area during September and October.
The NOTE included antisubmarine warfare and air warfare exercises and subjected Sydney’s combat system to a set of challenging and strictly defined guidelines and system parameters that proved she could handle attacks from various air and underwater threats.
CO Sydney Captain Peter Leavy said the NOTE impacted on the ship’s company in various ways, but none more than the operations room personnel who were faced with a number of pressure packed challenges while fighting the ship against HMAS Collins and Air Force fighters, including F/A-18s and Hawk 127 Lead-in- Fighters.
In trying weather conditions Sydney was assisted by HMA Ships Newcastle, Stuart, and Manoora, as well as Collins and aircraft from 76 Squadron, PELAIR Nowra and Raytheon EWTS (LR35).
This period provided an opportunity to operate in a joint environment as Air Force conducted parallel testing of the new Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft.
Both units made significant advances, particularly in the area of LINK 16 operations. Link 16 is a data exchange system that allows the electronic transfer of combat system information between ADF (and allied) units.
CAPT Levy said for the first time since completing FFGUP Sydney was able to receive the long range surveillance picture provided by the AWE&C, allowing operations room staff to monitor all airborne traffic from Victoria to Queensland.
“This is an exciting development for Sydney’s CSO sailors as they lead the way in Navy’s integration of LINK 16,” he said.
CAPT Leavy said the data gained from the NOTE was being processed by RANRAU and RANTEAA with the aim of releasing the FFG class back into full operational service in an air warfare environment.
“The current NOTE trial concluded with two weeks off Newcastle, where the combat system was tested against F/A-18s and Hawk 127 aircraft which flew realistic strike patterns to test the system’s ability to defend the ship in all modes of operations,” he said.
Sydney is busy preparing for the challenge of new milestones in 2011, when she will sail in company with HMA Ships Perth and Tobruk to Hawaii to conduct multiple SM2 and ESSM firings against US BQM74 Drone targets.
CAPT Leavy said these targets would fly realistic anti-ship missile profiles and would mark the final testing phase Sydney must pass before the NOTE phase is finished.
“Once these firings are complete it is anticipated the FFG class will be deemed fully operational for all air warfare and anti-ship missile defence operations the ADF undertakes in the maritime environment,” he said.
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