RAN Navy News 29Sept94
LEUT Mark Purcell
From LEUT Mark Purcell <m...@navmat.navy.gov.au>
[ Article crossposted from navy.news ]
[ Author was LEUT David Dawson ]
[ Posted on Fri, 30 Sep 1994 05:08:20 GMT ]
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ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY NEWS 2/94
September 23, 1994
Navy News is published for the information and entertainment of members of
the Navy and their families. The material published is selected for its
interest and the views expressed therein are not necessarily those of the
Dept of Defence (Navy.)
This electronic version, a selection of the current Navy News, is provided
on a trial basis as a service to those members who do not regularly
receive Navy News. Any comments (welcomed!) can be sent to:
soe...@dis-n.navy.gov.au (LEUT David Dawson)
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%1 - New Receiver for Fleet
%2 - Divers raise Engine
%3 - NavyLink LIVE
%4 - HMAS MELBOURNE to the rescue
%5 - A Five Star Experience
%6 - ANZAC - How ships are launched
%7 - First New Zealand ANZAC Keel Laying
%8 - Sports Briefs
%9 - Environmental Update
***********************************************************************
%1 New Receiver for Fleet
An Australian-designed and developed Satellite Fleet Broadcast Receiver
(FBR), is expected to significantly improve dissemination of information to
Royal Australian Navy ships operating in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The
FBR was designed and developed by the Defence, Science and Technology
Organisations (DSTO) Communications Division at Salisbury in South Australia
to satisfy a Navy need for an upgrade from the existing Low Speed Fleet
Broadcast (LSFB) unit. The FBR has far greater capability than the existing
receiver, will take up about one third the space and will be available
at around half the cost of the existing unit. It is considered the
leading edge in fleet broadcast receiver technology.
It therefore also has significant export potential for Sydney
based hi-tech company Stanilite Electronics which won a
Defence Industry Development contract to commercialise the
technology.
A satellite fleet broadcast receiver is a device for receiving a
range of informatiopn from a communications satellite which is
necessary for RAN operations. This information might range
from operational data to weather conditions.
DSTO developed the device to the concept demonstrator
stage then transferred the technology to Stanilite which took
the development to the technology demonstrator stage.
The technology demonstrator has started six months of land
and sea tnals with the RAN.
The new device uses digital signal processing and advanced
software to create a highly flexible reception capability. It can
receive information on the low speed 1200 bits per second
(bps) fleet broadcast format or at 9600 bps which is the emerg-
ing high speed fleet broadcast format. This flexibility has not
previously been possible in one piece of hardware.
Currently RAN ships have access to a single channel for
fleet broadcast via the United States Navy Fleet Satellite
Subsystem. The Australian fleet information is relayed to
Hawaii and combined with the allied channel on the US Navy
Fleet Satellite Subsystem.
The information is uplinked to two US satellites, one over
the Western Pacific and the other over the Indian Ocean. RAN
ships operating in the satellite footprint in either ocean are able
to receive the allied broadcast.
%2 Engine Raised
By SBLT Tom Lewis
Navy divers from the Northern Territory's Dive
Team 1I have been working on recovering parts of a
crashed Catalina aircraft in Darwin harbour.
The divers have been working in the East Arm area to
recover an engine from one of the RAAF's big twin-engined
bombers lost in the area in 1945.
One of seven Catalina aircraft sunk in Darwin in World War
11, the aircraft's remains are in the area scheduled for develop-
ment as part of the city's new port.
An 18 cylinder engine, complete with propeller, has been
recovered.
The rest of the aircraft, which is already broken up, will
eventually be moved to a new location in the harbour where
scuba divers can descend to view the site.
Dive recovery work is being led by Lieutenant Steve Cole,
who commands Dive Team 11.
Based in Darwin, the team carries out a variety of diving
tasks, this being one of the more unusual.
"The Catalina project is good training for us," Lieutenant
Cole said. "Although conditions are not good in that part of
the harbour we were pleased with the way the operation went."
The project to recover the engine took place over two days
with the 1.3 tonne Pratt and Witney monster floated to the sur-
face under a set of six 205 litre oil drums.
%3 NavyLink LIVE breakthrough for meetings
CMDR Ted Walsh has come face-to-face with his
colleagues in Russell Offices using the Navy's
new Video Conferencing system.
Director of Information Services-Navy, CMDR Simon Hart, set up the video
link to RANLO in Singapore to demonstrate the system's ability to
facilitate meetings with personnel serving at different overseas
locations, without having to leave their countries and still be in time
for dinner.NavyLink LIVE is cur-- rently operating as a Pilot Project and
systems have already been installed in: Navat Training Command- (HMAS
CERBERUS) - HMAS STIRLING, Russell Offices, Campbell Park, NAVMAT, MHQ,
and Remington NHQSC with plans for future expansion to other Naval bases.
A multipoint capability due in early September 1994 will allow up to eight
different locations to participate in the same meeting.For those Navy
establishments not having their own- videoconference facility, public
rooms are available for hire in all capital cities and most major
centres.
%4 HMAS MELBOURNE to the Rescue
In the early hours of Friday, July
21, while operating in the EAXA, HMAS MELBOURNE (Commander
R.M. Hancock) received a Mayday message from a vessel later identified as
the MV SEA PRINCESS. The SEA PRINCESS, a long line tuna fishing boat, was
in distress 120 nm off the coast. A freak wave had hit her
causing extensive damage to the bridge area, ripping navigation and
communication equipment from their fittings and rendering them irreparable.
Approximately three and a half hours later MELBOURNE reached the boat and in
extreme conditions, a sea boat and boarding part was dispatched to turther
assess the damage and assist the crew. MELBOURNE personnel stabilised the
situation, controlling the ingress of water, providing medical assistance,
food, dry clothes and repair equipment. After several hours SEA PRINCESS
was, with some difficulty able to make way toward Sydney. She was taking
water into the switchboard, her crew of 16 were cold and wet with little
food and the accommodation area was badly damaged. Two personnel needed
medical attention. An S70B Seahawk from HMAS ALBATROSS was refuelled by
MELBOURNE and dispatched to the scene,
The helo located the vessel and conducted a visual inspection. MELBOURNE
remained in the area keeping a close eye on the SEA PRINCESS until
approximately 0230 when control of the situation was handed over to MV
ANGELICA, a sister vessel.MELBOURNE then proceeded to Sydnev, arriving at
0600 on a cold, wet Saturday morning for a weekend with friends and
family before sailing for a five-month deployment to SE Asia and Japan.
%5 A five-star experience
>From the galley of a small warship to a kitchen of
a five-star international hotel creates an interesting
comparison.
ABCK Cindy Wyper made the change when she spent a
week working at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Perth.
Normally the cook on the Trials and Safety Ship, HMAS
PROTECTOR (LCDR G. Burton), based at HMAS STIR-
LING, Cindy described the experience as excellent.
The idea came from PROTECTOR's XO LEUT Jon
Peacock after dining at the Hyatt Regency's Gershwin's
Restaurant.
A call to the Hyatt Regency met with a pleasant and
favourable response and Cindy proceeded ashore for a week.
Back onboard PROTECTOR after her time at the Hyatt
Regency Cindy said: "It was really good fun. It was very much
like the Navy's style, working day and night I picked-up a
couple of little things."
During her time at the prestigious Hyatt Regency Cindy
worked a combination of days and nights in the main cafeteria.
"I worked in the cold larder section preparing hot and cold
entrees and also for functions at Gershwin's. I loved the stable
cooking platform!"
%6 ANZAC - How ships are launched ...
"Mind your Toes . . . "
It became clear dunng the launch of ANZAC last Friday 23 Sept that
the process by which the ship's entry to the water takes place is
a delicate balancing act - with a few more unknowns in it than
constructing the vessel.
In the case of ANZAC, the aim was to poise more than 2000
tonnes of steel on the slipway and have it break clear and run
down the incline into the water on cue - after launch lady
LTCOL Vivian Statham had broken the champagne bottle on the
bow and pronounced: "God Bless Her and all who sail in Her!"
As even engineering illiterates might suspect, this process
requires a little more than mere force of a champagne bottle
breaking on the bow to get a ship underway.
Transfield provided some insight into mystenes of the launch
for those who attended the event.
Preparation for a launch begins with the partial flooding of the
lower end of the slipway near the stern of the vessel.
About nine hours before the event, work begins to transfer the
weight of ship from the blocks on which assembly of the mod-
ules has taken place to a cradle by ramming wedges in the cradle
forcing it hard up under the hull.
Timber and steel shores prevent the ship from sliding while
the blocks under the hull are removed. This takes place gradual-
ly until, about 10 minutes from launch, the ship rests on just two
triggers at the rear of the fore poppet - the rear of the forward
steel portion of the cradle. A load of about 85 tonnes rests on
each trigger before it is released.
After the champagne bottle has broken, a rope is cut releasing
two 91 kg (200 Ib) weights which pull the triggers clear.
This doesn't always work, however, and two men armed with
sledge hammers stand ready to release the tnggers.
Once this has occurred, that part of the ship's weight acting
down the slipway - about 150 tomnes - starts the ship moving.
Again, though, there is no guarantee because initial friction
has to be overcome and the backup, if the ship still refuses to
move, is two 150 tonne hydraulic jacks located at the head of the
slipway.
When the ship has travelled about half its length, the stem
begins to lift in the water fhrowing additional load onto the fore
poppet as the ship gradually rotates to horizontal.
Special crushing pieces are arranged to spread the load on the
fore poppet - nearly 500 tonnes at the half-way point - over as
much of the cradle as possible for the remainder of the journey
to the water.
>From the time the trigger rope was cut, it was expected that a
ship would take "somewhat less" than two minutes to come to
rest in the water.
Those who witnessed the launch of ANZAC would probably
say "considerably less".
As Transfield Shipbuilding's Chief Executive Officer Dr John
White remarked with a wide smile: "She seems an eager ship."
"... down she goes!"
Story by Antony Underwood.
%7 IT'S TE KAHA FOR FIRST RNZN ANZAC
(By Antony Underwood)
New Zealand's Chief of Naval Staff,
RADM Jack Welch, has announced the
selection of TE KAHA as the name for the
second ANZAC ship now being assembled
on Transfield Shipbuilding's Williamstown
slipway.
At the keel-laying of the first of two ships for
New Zealand last Monday (19/9), he ended months
of speculation about a topic which must rate as
Best-Kept Secret of 1994.
Admiral Welch also named Mrs Joan Bolger, wife
of current Prime Minister Mr Jim Bolger, as the
Launch Lady for TE KAHA (pronounced Tay -
KAR HAR) to officiate when the ship is ready to
take to the water early in the second half of next
year.
TE KAHA, he explained, is Maori for fighting
strength or prowess.
Managing Director of Transfield, Mr Marco
Belgiorno-Zegna, said construction of the first New
Zealand ANZAC was on schedule and he expected
her to be launched next July (l9s).
He said Transfield had established the compa-
ny's facility at Whangarei.
"The company is committed to spending $700
million in New Zealand," he said. "Already, $540
million has been committed and at this stage this is
some $90 million ahead of schedule."
New Zealand Defence Minister Gerald Hensley
said that New Zealand and Austraha's future security
rested on who had control of the Pacific Sea routes.
"This is not a task that can be comfortably left to
others," he said.
Mr Hensley said about 350 New Zealand firms
"at last count" had subcontracts in connection with
the ANZAC ships construction.
The ships will add to the range of options avail-
able to New Zealand including for peacekeeping
operations.
RADM Welch said the keel-laying marked the
beginning of the end of an era which began in the
1960s.
"It's the beginning of the transition of our Navy
from steam-driven ships to those wiith modern
propulsion systems, communications and sensors,"
he said.
"If we do have to put our ships in harm's way,
the RNZN will be able to defend itself better
against sophisticated weapons available today on
the world market."
%8 ***Sports Briefs***
LAWN BOWLS: Navy takes on Army at the
Ingleburn Bowhng Club on Thursday. october 13 com-
mencing al 8.30am. This competition will count as a
trial match towards future inter-Service and representa-
tive events, and all bowlers are requested to make them-
selves available. Nominations close on October 11. For fur-
ther information: HMAS KUTTABUL - WOMTP
Allen; HMAS ALBATROSS - CPOATWL
Davis DNATS ; HMAS PENGUIN - POBM
Fleming . HMAS WATERHEN -
CPOMTH Henderson; MHQAUST -
LCDR Bailey.
TENNIS: The 1994 Carr Cup singles will be staged at
White City (Alma St, Paddington) on Wednesday,
October 5 commencing at 9am while the Burrell Cup
doubles will also be held at White City Wednesday
October 19 commencing at 9am. Participants will not be
permitted to play unless correctly attired (jogging shoes
and running shorts not permitted. Personnel wishing
to nominate are to signal COMAUSNAVSUP or con-
tact POPT Downey by Septemher 28 for
the Carr Cup or October 12 for the Burrell Cup.
FUN RUN: The 16th annual HMAS PENGUIN
Gate to Gate Fun Fun (5km) will be staged on Friday.
October 14 and trophies will be awarded in the following
categories: Open male/female (under 30): male/female (30-
35); male/female (36-40); male/female (41 and over);
first PENGUIN male/female; first PENGUIN team (six
runners); first invitational team (six runners); power-
walk first (male/female). For more information contact
LSPT Reilly at HMAS PENGUIN.
RUGBY UNION: In the last edition we failed to
include PLATYPUS/WATERHEN in the final standings
tor Dempster Cup. Although only registering one win (20-
3 over WATSON in round five), PLATS was competi-
tive in all its matches and finished the season in fourth
place on 26 points. This came from one win, seven losses
and two wins on forfeit.
CRESWELL CUP RELAY: The Wardroom
mess and Phillip division were the two winners in this
year's CRESWELL Cup Relay, an annual event which
is always hotly contested by the three messes and the
three divisions from the New Entry Officers Course. The
challenges facing contestants include obstacle courses,
rides in wheelie bins, tyre pushing and bike riding, just
to name a few.
MIDWEEK SPORT:
Netball - Aucust 24: PENGUIN 18 d KUTTABUL 6:WATSON d PLATYPUS/WATERHEN on
forfeit. September 7: PENGUIN d CRESWELL on forfeit;WATSON v KUTTABUL match
not played (points shared); Indoor soccer -August 24: KUTTABUL 7 d PENGUIN
3; WATSON d PLATYPUS/WATERHEN on forfeit. September 7: KUTTABUL 10
d PLATYPUS/WATERHEN 4; WATSON d PENGUIN on forfeit.
AIR TIME: Fifteen crew members from HMAS TOR-RENS took the Wednesday
"afternoon sportie" to new limits when they ascended the Darling Ranges
in search of some vertical rock from which to throw themselves. The
abseiling and rock climbing afternoon was planned and led by CPOBM "Blue"
Smith, and consisted of a series of challenges set up at the shady
Churchman's Brook crag.
%9 THE NATION'S WILDLIFE AT THE NAVY'S BACKDOOR
Many of the RAN's establishments provide 'buffer zones'
against noise and pollution but aside from this role they also
provide protected habitats for many species of our native wildlife.
****
The visually prominent HMAS WATSON has both remnant and replanted
native bushland areas that provide a safe environment in which a
variety of birds and animals live. WATSON's recent implementation
of an environmental management plan, which incorporates a trapping
program to reduce the number feral predators such as cats and foxes,
has resulted in a significant return of native birds and reptiles.
The bio diversity of WATSON is not only of value to the Navy, but
contributes to the ecological integrity of the entire Sydney Harbour
region.
****
Jervis Bay is one of the largest areas in which Navy operates.
It consists of Defence and Commonwealth property at HMAS CRESWELL,
Bherwerre Peninsula, Jervis Bay airfield and the Beecroft Peninsula.
This region has a wide variety of vegetation types ranging from
forest and woodlands that host; wallabies, kangaroos, possums, gliders,
fruit bats, owls and goshawks; to the wetlands and marshes that
provide habitats for black swans and swamp harriers; and the
sand dunes that provide habitats for some of the regions more
majestic animals such as the white-bellied sea eagle. JB is
also fortunate to be visited by many species of migratory birds
from the highlands in the winter to feed on the coastal heaths.
The eastern bristlebird, a nationally vulnerable species,
also depends on the heaths for survival.
****
Defence land at HMAS CERBERUS has a rich diversity of
native wildlife including rare or uncommon species of both fauna and flora.
Approximately 65 per cent of Victoria's bird species have been recorded
in the adjacent grasslands, sand dunes and marshy swamps. Three areas
within CERBERUS contain habitats of international, national, state and
regional significance. These are: Hann's Inlet, which consists of
intertidal mudflats, used by a range of migratory wading birds including;
the crested terns, march sandpiper, sacred ibis, royal spoonbill and red
necked stint. Stony Point, one of the larger sections of intact bushland,
which supports over eight species of mammals including the koala, sugar
glider, swamp wallaby, southern brown bandicoot and the lesser long-eared
bat, as well as over forty-seven species of native birds, from the tawney
frogmouth and common bronzewing to the southern emu-wren. The last of the
three places, Sandy Point, supports the only known large population, in the
Westernport catchmet, of the white-footed dunnart, a generally uncommon,
small, insectivorous marsupial. Other species include swamp wallaby,
sugar glider and swamp rat.
Many species of birds have also been recorded, including the rare,
beautiful firetail and golden-headed cisticola.
****
Written for DEM-N by Claire Ruting, DEM-N is always interested to hear your
environlmental success stories, new initiatives or concerns on issues.
Contact can be made on recycled paper in a reused envelope to DEM-N,
Russell Offices, A-2-28, Canberra ACT 2600.
--
### / LEUT Dave Dawson RAN \
# # / soe...@dis-n.navy.gov.au \
# # / Information Analyst \
# # / Executive Decison Information System \
################# / A-2-14 Russell Offices, Canberra ACT \
################# / \
A U S T R A L I A / "Better Management through Better Information" \
--
Lieutenant Mark Purcell m.pu...@navy.gov.au (016) 282 926
System Adminstrator m.pu...@pos.apana.org.au
Royal Australian Navy NIC HANDLE: MP3-AU
X400:"DDA.RFC-822=m.purcell(a)navy.gov.au;O=AARN;A=TELEMEMO;P=OZ.AU;C=AU"