Leonardo looks to next phase of Anzac communications upgrade
Aerial photograph of HMAS Anzac berthed at Fleet Base West in Western Australia. (Photo: RAN)
Italian defence group Leonardo and its Australian subsidiary seek to apply lessons learnt and experience gained from Project Sea 1442 Phase 4.
Leonardo Australia and its parent group intend to pursue Project Sea 1442 Phase 5 maritime communications modernisation programme for the Anzac-class frigates operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
Leonardo noted in a 16 June announcement that it will apply ‘lessons learnt and experience gained’ from capabilities already being delivered to the RAN under Phase 4 of the programme.
Phase 5 seeks to result in ‘an assured communications capability through a Mission System that can cope with current and anticipated future information exchange demands and is interoperable with joint, coalition and allied systems’, Leonardo noted. ‘At the same time, the system has increased bearer and satellite constellation diversity and agility and features a high level of automation.’
Leonardo Australia will leverage its existing Australian supply chains as well as identify new industry participants. Opportunities for industry to join the Phase 5 supply chain will come via an engagement process that will commence in the coming weeks.
In Project Sea 1442 Phase 4, Leonardo is engineering, supplying and installing an integrated suite of communications capabilities for the upgrade and modernisation of Anzac-class frigates.
HMAS Arunta was the first of the class to enter the midlife upgrade programme beginning in 2019, according to Shephard Defence Insight. HMS Anzac joined the upgrade programme in June 2020 and it was followed by HMAS Warramunga.
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