Closed ATM View - SHIPS/RFI/13453/1
Request for Information: Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Seaboat Australian Industry Capability (AIC) Study
The Australian Department of Defence (Defence)’s Defence Industrial Capability Plan (DICP) details ten Sovereign Industrial Capability Priorities (SIC-P), one of which includes the Continuous Naval Shipbuilding Program. Australia seeks the ability to maintain, employ, sustain and upgrade its Defence capabilities with the maximum level of Australian access to, or control over the essential skills, technology, intellectual property, financial resources and infrastructure so that the Australian Defence Force is positioned to achieve the five strategic objectives listed in the DICP:
a. A broader and deeper defence industrial base
b. A strategic approach to industry investment
c. An innovative and competitive defence industry
d. A robust defence industry export capability
e. A Defence and industry partnership that enables Australia to pre-position for the future.
In this context, the military seaboat is considered an essential enabler of maritime capability. A military seaboat is a ship’s boat launched and recovered from a warship or submarine for the purpose of conducting naval operations at sea. This capability supports the rescue and recovery of personnel from the water, transfer of personnel and stores, and constabulary tasking and force protection.
The RAN is currently undertaking a Whole-of-Navy-Capability study covering the use of military seaboats. This study will review and update the RAN seaboat operating concepts and requirements set so that they reflect the RAN’s future needs, major ship acquisition and modernisation programs and a more complex maritime environment.
Part of this study requires an understanding of Industry’s role as a Fundamental Input to Capability and this Request for Information (RFI) will be used by Defence to determine a baseline level of Australian Industry Capability (AIC) for military seaboats and identify opportunities to increase Australian Industry content across the various stages of the military seaboats capability lifecycle stages including:
(i) Design
(ii) Manufacture
(iii) Assembly; and
(iv) Sustainment (preventative and corrective maintenance, and supply of spares and consumables).
Defence also seeks to identify the technical readiness levels of Australian Industry to meet its Seaboat availability requirements.
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