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AWD Hobart has reached another milestone, departing Adelaide to commence the next phase of sea trials.
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The project, run by the AWD Alliance (ASC, Raytheon Australia and the Department of Defence), is now in its second phase of trials.
Raytheon Australia is responsible for the combat systems integration of the AWD project and their managing director Michael Ward said the complexity of their work will be tested in these trials.
“As the combat systems integrator for the AWD project, Raytheon Australia has applied its highly skilled Australian workforce of 350 architects, systems engineers and project managers to the AWD project over the last decade," Ward said.
"The success of the combat system integration activity is a source of tremendous pride for Raytheon Australia. Not only have we performed admirably on this project but we have built for Australia a national asset in combat system integration."
AWD program manager Commodore Craig Bourke says the trials mark the first time that the first AWD Hobart will be tested as a complete Mission System and they are an important milestone for the project.
“These trials are the culmination of all of the preceding design, production, activation, integration and test activities conducted on Hobart to date,” CDRE Bourke said.
AWD Hobart will sail off the coast of South Australia for testing of the combat, communications and platform systems.
These trials, known as Sea Acceptance Trials, mark the beginning of the formal ship acceptance process in the lead up to the final delivery, which is expected later this year.
The Sea Acceptance Trials are a follow-on from the successful completion of the Builder Sea Trials in September 2016, where Hobart’s hull, propulsion and navigation systems were tested.
Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne said the trials are a vital part of the AWD program and they are designed to ensure the AWDs can perform their expected capabilities.
“These trials are conducted to prove that systems can perform the expected functions they were designed for, in the environment in which they’ll be required to function,” Minister Pyne said.
“In the maritime domain, sea trials are similar to new model cars being tested on the proving grounds, and allow the detection of any issues before the ship is accepted by the Royal Australian Navy.
“I congratulate the AWD Alliance: ASC, Raytheon Australia and the Department of Defence, and ship build manager Navantia, on this important milestone and their continued progress towards delivering the most capable warships ever to be operated by the Royal Australian Navy."
