"Australia's submarine force is facing significant challenges"

Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Russ Crane outlines the Navy's plan to dramatically improve Australia's Submarine workforce. "Well, good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and thank you very much for your time today. I'd like to brief you on some major changes to the way we're managing one of Australia's most important assets, our submarines.You all know Australia's maritime force is facing - Australia's submarine force is facing significant challenges. Rest assured they remain a very capable force and I am extremely proud of the service and capability that our submarines provide.But I am concerned that their long-term sustainability cannot be guaranteed unless we act decisively. The challenges facing navy submarine force today may well be felt by the wider navy in years to come unless we put our people first. Navy is sometimes accused of ignoring our submariners. But while they make up about five per cent of our total workforce, they require a substantial percentage of Navy's total budget and deliver a very substantial element of our fighting capability. So we owe it to them to get this right.Today, I am announcing significant and widespread reforms to the way Australia's submarine force is structured and the way in which it operates.Navy is implementing a submarine sustainability program which will do four things; it will stem the number of qualified submariners leaving the submarine force by improving their working conditions. It will speed up the training process to get new submariners fully qualified and to see faster.It will increase the number of new submariners through an aggressive external and internal recruitment program and change the prevailing mission focus submarine culture so that there is a greater focus on the wellbeing of submariners and of their families. The overall goal is to grow the submarine workforce to enable a fourth, sustainable, seagoing crew to be formed by the end of 2011. To achieve this, we're spearheading a five-pronged process, the first of which has already been completed. Phase one which occurred in 2008 is an analysis phase.This phase included the conduct of the submarine sustainability review and other surveys to understand the problem, followed by implementation of initial actions and some quick wins. Phase two is a stabilisation phase and will run from 2009 to 2011. This phase will achieve three sustainable crews of 58 personnel, up from 46 currently; assisted by a submarine support group of 27 people to provide high priority technical and administrative support services to our crews when they're alongside.Phase three, which is a recovery phase, will run concurrently from 2011 through to 2012. This phase will achieve a fourth sustainable crew of 58 personnel to consistently meet submarine readiness requirements, a fully manned and sustainable submarine support group providing a broad range of support services to crews and sustain manning of the submarine shore positions.Phase four, which is a consolidation phase, will operate from 2012 through to 2015. Now this phase will include evaluating alternate crewing arrangements, three crews to perhaps two platforms, as was recommended in the review.By evaluating the need for more crews, depending on the effectiveness of the new construct of four sustainable crews backed up by a fully resourced submarine support group. Phase five, which is a growth phase, will occur from 2015 onwards.Now this phase will implement workforce expansion plans, to meet strategic guidance and lay the foundations for the transition from the Collins Class submarines to our future submarines under C1000.Last year, Navy commissioned several studies; the most significant was handed to me in November. Rear Admiral Rowan Moffitt's submarine workforce sustainability review pulls no punches. And I invite you, navy members and the Australian public, to read it.Since November, we've been working hard on stabilising the submarine workforce. As I've made clear, this phase will achieve those three sustainable crews of 58 personnel each and to support them with a submarine support group of 27 people to provide that high-priority technical and administrative support to our crews at sea and alongside.By 2011, my aim is for our submarine force to have recovered enough to be able to sustain that fourth crew. From 2012 we will consolidate by evaluating what we will have achieved so far and thoroughly examining options for alternate crewing strategies. Now this might involve a form of multi-crewing.We've already taken the first step in this area by separating our crews from hulls.The most critical element of any warship is its crew. And we've now taken an approach in the submarine group which aims to focus on the crew and rotate crews to submarines rather than the other way round. That's not unlike the approach taken in the airline industry or indeed in the offshore industry.Now, I should point out that our efforts to improve Navy submarine force are already beginning to show some results. There has been a small increase in our retention rates for submarines. That's an encouraging sign, but we still have a lot of hard work to do.But we have already had some success. Actions now underway include improved shore accommodation standards for submarine crews when their submarine is alongside, away from home port, fewer submariners will be required to keep watch in port, giving them additional rests and respite, a 25 per cent increase in submarine crew size in order to ease the workload on sea-going crew members to enable more sustainable work routines both at sea and alongside, internet and intranet access is being provided to our submariners, the number of shore-based postings for our submariners is being increased, ensuring posting stability for our people in the west, an establishment of a new submarine support group, as I've mentioned, to take over some of the workload from our crew members.Australia's submarine force remains critical in the defence of this nation. Let me repeat, if we are called upon today, our submariners are well able to meet any challenge. But we can't afford to burn out our people. I will not allow it and neither will the Australian people.The time has come for strong action to safeguard Australia's submarine force now and into the future. I'm now happy to take any questions that you might have.

Posted in: Australia,Submarine