A
Aussie Digger
Guest
Here's the first announcement on the progress on the upgrade to the Royal Australian Navies FFG Frigates:
FFG Upgrade Milestone Achieved on Schedule
(Source: ADI Limited; dated April 7, web-posted April 14, 2004)
ADI Limited’s FFG Upgrade Project – the most sophisticated enhancement of Australian warships undertaken in Australia -- has entered the next phase of production following the on schedule undocking of HMAS Sydney.
HMAS Sydney, the first of the Royal Australian Navy’s guided missile frigates to be upgraded, has been moved from dry dock to berthside at ADI’s Garden Island facility in Sydney to complete the installation phase. The setting to work of the enhanced combat system will commence this month.
The Upgrade Project is not only a complex integration task that will see the FFG combat systems upgraded to ensure the ships’ operational effectiveness against regional threats, but the intrusive nature of the platform work means ADI is effectively rebuilding significant parts of the ship to incorporate the enhancements.
The upgrade represents the first time in Australia that a naval prime contractor has undertaken the roles of both platform and combat system design in-house to ensure proper integration at the whole-of-ship level.
The dry docking saw the installation of four new diesel generators, the vertical launch system housing (including rip out and reinforcement through four decks) and air conditioning plant. Also installed was combat system equipment including new mine avoidance sonar, electronic support and all upgraded fire control system hardware. ADI built a 3D model of the forward part of the ship enabling any potential system interferences to be designed out.
ADI’s approach to the removal and replacement of the diesel generators is believed to be a world first for FFGs. After completing trade off studies of various options, it was decided to remove each generator, bed plate and hull structure as a single unit, avoiding the disassembly of equipment onboard and the extensive removal of internal systems. Three generator units were removed through openings in the side plating and the fourth by cutting out the bottom hull plating and lowering it to the dock floor. Reinstallation followed the reverse process.
ADI managing director, Mr Lucio Di Bartolomeo, said the successfully completed rip out and installation phase underlined ADI’s unmatched naval engineering capabilities.
“With its cost, time and safety benefits, ADI is confident its innovative approach to removing the diesel generators will become the future standard for FFGs,†he said.
“The new capabilities that ADI developed for the Huon Class minehunters are vested in our people, processes and business systems and are flowing through to the FFG upgrade. “The upgrade is now following the minehunter project in producing its own ‘first time in Australian naval ship production’ successes.
“ADI now has the knowledge, the capabilities and the people required for all of Australia’s major warship programs.â€
The land based test site ADI established at Garden Island for the FFG upgrade enabled combat system software integration testing to begin in advance of HMAS Sydney being handed over to the company. Further formal combat system development and stress testing of system software will be undertaken ashore in May.
The software is scheduled for formal release to HMAS Sydney in July for harbour testing. An engineering version will be available to assist in the set to work process. Sea trials will follow the harbour tests with the frigate due for delivery to the RAN in the final quarter of this year.
This is a significant upgrade of the FFG's capabilities. The main parts of the work apart from those mentioned above, include: replacement of the SM-1 Standard, long range SAM, with the latest version of the SM-2 Standard SAM. Inclusion of an 8 cell Mk 41 vertical Launch system (VLS) for the Evolved Sea Sparrow Surface to Air Missile (ESSM), which provides an extra 32 SAM's as each ESSM is "quad packed" in the VLS cell. The "new" FFG's are also being upgraded with the Harpoon 2 missile and the new Eurotorp MU-90 torpedo. In addition the Electronic Warfare, air-search radar and missile fire control systems are being upgraded to accomodate and take full advantage of the new weapon systems. The habitability of the ships are also being upgraded to allow a slightly more comfortable environment for the sailors on board. The ships helicopter, the S-70 Seahawk is also in the process of being upgraded with new Electro-Optic and FLIR surveillance systems and rumours are that the Seahawk will also carry and fire the Penguin anti-ship missile though the RAN is keeping quiet on this... All in all the FFG's will be a pretty formidable ship when the upgrade's complete. Cheers.
FFG Upgrade Milestone Achieved on Schedule
(Source: ADI Limited; dated April 7, web-posted April 14, 2004)
ADI Limited’s FFG Upgrade Project – the most sophisticated enhancement of Australian warships undertaken in Australia -- has entered the next phase of production following the on schedule undocking of HMAS Sydney.
HMAS Sydney, the first of the Royal Australian Navy’s guided missile frigates to be upgraded, has been moved from dry dock to berthside at ADI’s Garden Island facility in Sydney to complete the installation phase. The setting to work of the enhanced combat system will commence this month.
The Upgrade Project is not only a complex integration task that will see the FFG combat systems upgraded to ensure the ships’ operational effectiveness against regional threats, but the intrusive nature of the platform work means ADI is effectively rebuilding significant parts of the ship to incorporate the enhancements.
The upgrade represents the first time in Australia that a naval prime contractor has undertaken the roles of both platform and combat system design in-house to ensure proper integration at the whole-of-ship level.
The dry docking saw the installation of four new diesel generators, the vertical launch system housing (including rip out and reinforcement through four decks) and air conditioning plant. Also installed was combat system equipment including new mine avoidance sonar, electronic support and all upgraded fire control system hardware. ADI built a 3D model of the forward part of the ship enabling any potential system interferences to be designed out.
ADI’s approach to the removal and replacement of the diesel generators is believed to be a world first for FFGs. After completing trade off studies of various options, it was decided to remove each generator, bed plate and hull structure as a single unit, avoiding the disassembly of equipment onboard and the extensive removal of internal systems. Three generator units were removed through openings in the side plating and the fourth by cutting out the bottom hull plating and lowering it to the dock floor. Reinstallation followed the reverse process.
ADI managing director, Mr Lucio Di Bartolomeo, said the successfully completed rip out and installation phase underlined ADI’s unmatched naval engineering capabilities.
“With its cost, time and safety benefits, ADI is confident its innovative approach to removing the diesel generators will become the future standard for FFGs,†he said.
“The new capabilities that ADI developed for the Huon Class minehunters are vested in our people, processes and business systems and are flowing through to the FFG upgrade. “The upgrade is now following the minehunter project in producing its own ‘first time in Australian naval ship production’ successes.
“ADI now has the knowledge, the capabilities and the people required for all of Australia’s major warship programs.â€
The land based test site ADI established at Garden Island for the FFG upgrade enabled combat system software integration testing to begin in advance of HMAS Sydney being handed over to the company. Further formal combat system development and stress testing of system software will be undertaken ashore in May.
The software is scheduled for formal release to HMAS Sydney in July for harbour testing. An engineering version will be available to assist in the set to work process. Sea trials will follow the harbour tests with the frigate due for delivery to the RAN in the final quarter of this year.
This is a significant upgrade of the FFG's capabilities. The main parts of the work apart from those mentioned above, include: replacement of the SM-1 Standard, long range SAM, with the latest version of the SM-2 Standard SAM. Inclusion of an 8 cell Mk 41 vertical Launch system (VLS) for the Evolved Sea Sparrow Surface to Air Missile (ESSM), which provides an extra 32 SAM's as each ESSM is "quad packed" in the VLS cell. The "new" FFG's are also being upgraded with the Harpoon 2 missile and the new Eurotorp MU-90 torpedo. In addition the Electronic Warfare, air-search radar and missile fire control systems are being upgraded to accomodate and take full advantage of the new weapon systems. The habitability of the ships are also being upgraded to allow a slightly more comfortable environment for the sailors on board. The ships helicopter, the S-70 Seahawk is also in the process of being upgraded with new Electro-Optic and FLIR surveillance systems and rumours are that the Seahawk will also carry and fire the Penguin anti-ship missile though the RAN is keeping quiet on this... All in all the FFG's will be a pretty formidable ship when the upgrade's complete. Cheers.
