RNZN News

[buglerbilly]

Royal New Zealand Navy increase REMUS AUV capability

May 25, 2010

Hydroid, Inc., the leading manufacturer of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV), announced today that the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) has recently contracted to buy an additional Hydroid REMUS 100 AUV. This purchase will bring the fleet to four complete systems. The RNZN purchased two REMUS 100 systems in 2006 and followed up with a third in 2007.

Along with the new vehicle, the RNZN has also ordered a number of sensors and upgrades for their existing systems, designed to increase their operational capability.

Since entering service, the vehicles have successfully performed a wide range of military and civilian tasks including location of downed aircraft, police and customs operations and military exercises both within New Zealand and overseas.

These REMUS systems came into the public eye last year, when New Zealand was asked to assist Tonga, in the location of the ferry, “Princess Ashika”.

On August 19th, the vessel sank in open ocean, with the loss of 68 passengers and 4 crew. Following receipt of distress messages, floating wreckage was found by a Royal New Zealand Air Force Orion P3 Maritime Patrol Aircraft.

The RNZN REMUS team was flown to Nuko Alofa and taken to the wreckage area by the Tonga Defence Services. The ship was located and identified, lying in 110 meters of water and images were recorded of the vessel and associated debris field.

We believe this is likely to be the first time that a sunken vessel, has been successfully located in open ocean, through the rapid deployment of an AUV.

The RNZN contract was let to New Zealand Ocean Technology Ltd., (NZOT) Hydroid’s sole representative for New Zealand. NZOT received the Minister of Defence Award of Excellence to Industry 2009, for services associated with Mines Countermeasures, including supply and support of Hydroid’s REMUS 100 systems. At the presentation to Managing Director, Ron Tyson, the Minister stated: “He has delivered some world leading technology, NZ tailored solutions at extremely competitive costs".

Hydroid Inc. holds the exclusive license from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution for the manufacture and further development of the REMUS Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) technology. In June 2008, Hydroid was acquired by Kongsberg Maritime, and now offers the REMUS and HUGIN family of autonomous vehicles that meet a full range of autonomous needs.

Source: Hydroid

[buglerbilly]

Boat not shipshape - but under warranty

By Matt Nippert 4:00 AM Sunday Jun 6, 2010, NZ Herald


HMNZS Otago arrives two years late. Photo / NZPA

When the Navy received word one of its trouble-plagued new offshore patrol boats had suffered engine problems on its delivery voyage, a senior official responded in a manner more worthy of a Toyota advert.

"Bugger," he exclaimed. "Well at least the Aussies will be paying for the repair."

The exclamation by the Navy's Andrew Cutler about the HMNZS Otago engine failure, on clearing the Melbourne channel, is revealed in documents released to the Herald on Sunday under the Official Information Act.

Similar engine problems also held up sister ship HMNZS Wellington's departure for New Zealand last week.

In his "bugger" email, Cutler expressed relief that the faults were discovered while the ship was still under warranty, making the Australian shipyard liable for repairs.

The two vessels were ordered in 2004, and the maiden voyage of Otago to New Zealand was delayed in March when its engines developed coolant leaks, and the fuel injection and air-conditioning systems failed.

A report from the Otago's captain, Simon Rooke, headed "commercial in confidence" said that the fault was initially "considered to be a very rare failure", but further investigation revealed more problems: "Two such failures on the one cylinder indicate a far more serious issue."

Navy spokesman Commander Phil Bradshaw said the issues were resolved under the warranty provided by German engine manufacturer MAN and the ships' British builder BAE Systems, whose subsidiary owns the Melbourne shipyard.

Bradshaw said sister ship the Wellington appeared to be without fault until it set sail for New Zealand from Melbourne last week: "It's Murphy's Law - you finally try to sail home, and it starts leaking."

Bradshaw said the Wellington was found to suffer almost identical engine problems to the Otago and the issues related to faulty seals around the engine cylinders that led to coolant leakage.

"Nothing ever works perfectly the first time around," he added. "It's nigh-impossible to have them work right out of the box. How do you know if a skyrocket will go? You light it and see what happens."

By Matt Nippert

[JimWH]

Those ships are... ill fated. Pity really, good looking ships with a relatively comprehensive package for what the RNZN want them to do. Not a bad approximation of what we might expect out of the OCV either come to think of it.

[JimWH]

Actually, whilst I'm thinking of it (i.e. avoiding studying), has there been any discussion of expanding the RNZAF's SeaSprite fleet? There are now 5 RNZN ships with SeaSprite facilities and 5 SeaSprites to go around. The Otagos can use A109 for many of their roles, but the A109 fleet will presumably have to spend most of it's time in it's primary role (i.e. as the training type for the rest of the RNZAF's helicopter fleet), which means I'd be surprised if they can find one to act as a ship flight with any kind of regularity. Taking into account availability ratios, there are probably about to be between 2 and 3 ships ready for sea at any time which ideally need a SeaSprite (1 FFG, 1-2 OPV, 0-1 MRV), and I can't see the 6 Sqn RNZAF being able to provide that many ship flights with it's current resources. The situation will get even worse when Endeavour is replaced by something with a flight deck suitable for aircraft larger than the Wasp.
Does anybody have some insight into the situation? Insight such as: they're well aware of the problem and there's no cash/will to fix it?

[Gubler, A.]

Actually, whilst I'm thinking of it (i.e. avoiding studying), has there been any discussion of expanding the RNZAF's SeaSprite fleet? There are now 5 RNZN ships with SeaSprite facilities and 5 SeaSprites to go around.

I think the RNZAF will be pretty stretched financially and HR wise introducing the NH90 for the next few years. Of the 2 FF and 2 OPV it is unlikely they will have more than three available for sea due to maintenance cycles. The MPV will most likely embark NH90s for its role. So the RNZAF is only going to be tasked to provide three flights for frigates and corvettes at the most. They would probably want a few more SH-2s to meet that three flight requirement but they should be able to make it with 5: 1 in 2nd line maintenance, 1 for training and 3 for operational duty. Especially if they can migrate a lot of flying and operational training to the AW109s – which is the ADF’s intent under HATS as well.

[Gubler, A.]

Otago sat on the slipway at Williamstown for months with one engine onboard and waiting for another to arrive due to supply shortages... A cause for the engine problem?

[JimWH]

I'd figured that Canterbury would usually sail with NH-90s, but it's cutting it really fine to predicate fleet management on having 3 out of 5 birds ready to deploy. But I guess it's a budgetary thing more than an operational choice.

[Unicorn]

Got a close look at Wellington when she put into FBE at Woolloomooloo to fix the engine problem.

Nice looking ships, a real pity that their construction was so badly frakked up.

Unicorn