Navy Today May 09 | Issue 143 - Royal New Zealand Navy

N A V A L A V I A T I O N F O R C E
A R O U N D T H E F L E E T
FLEET PROGRESS
aircraft. The other Seasprite closed the target
for DAMASS (damage assessment).
About 20 seconds later... Bang! The purposebuilt
target was blown to pieces. The DAMASS
aircraft confirmed all that remained of the
target was a small molten pile of scrap metal
that quickly sank beneath the waves, never to
be seen again. Our crew then returned to TE
MANA to be greeted with tea and medals (we
wish!) All in all the mission was a huge success,
with the NZDF now having a proven helicopterlaunched
missile capability by night and day.
MAVERICK FIRING –
from the Ops Room
By CPOET Saul Smith, HMNZS TE MANA
When I first got word of a Maverick firing I thought “Cool, I’d like
to watch that go fizz bang!” But I was then told by Trials Evaluation
and Quality Management (TEQM) that I would be required to sit on
MFC7 to monitor Te Mana’s Air Defence Coordination (ADC) function,
one of the capabilities of our Saab 9LV453 Combat system.
There was even a slim chance that we would engage the missile
target with HE 5” gun ammunition, if the Maverick missed.
ADC enables the combat system to analyse air or surface threats
depending on their attack profile and how the Operations Officer
wants the system to engage them. This is all done completely
automatically with operators only relaying information to the Command
about what the combat system is doing.
We attended all the safety briefs, ensuring the CO and PWO
were happy for us to carry out the simulated ADC engagement.
We knew this had low priority over the Maverick firing so anything
we were going to be able to achieve was better than a kick up the
backside and we were appreciative of the opportunity. We were
briefed on the the results for the helicopter if a hang fire occurred,
and how it would make the helicopter do donuts with a small
chance of recovery. Anyone still want to be a pilot?
On the day the weather was spot on. So all systems were go.
We simulated an ADC engagement utilising some fake air threats
closing the ship on the C2 system. At the same time we took the
opportunity to take some up-and-coming WE officers through
ADC for that little bit of extra knowledge they can put in their
back pocket for later on.
The DTA and Trials team had set up their cameras early so they
could capture both Main Tactical display and Fire Control Infra
Loading the missile onto
the helicopter, 24 March
red camera along with the Fire Control tell backs screen on
MFC7. If you looked at the console from across the Ops Room
all the cameras made it look like an interview room after a big
rugby match!
Time: 2000, and the Ops Room had closed up. By radar we
held the chase helicopter and the P-3K Orion with our helo on
deck. Once the helo launched it was business time and you
could feel the tension rise.
The policy broadcast came over the circuit dictating the setup
of ADC: ranges, what weapon systems, whether in auto decision,
auto fire, whether all missiles assigned (in test mode of course).
The key thing we were looking for was the authority to simulate
an engagement and to manually lock on to the missile with our
fire control director if the Combat system doesn’t recognise the
missile as a threat.
So with the system setup and me feeling like a movie star trying
not to get my hands in the way of the cameras, our Seasprite
carried out its dummy runs.
We were ready and the helicopter was on its way in for its firing
run. The next order I needed was “Acquire the helicopter”
and we were half way there. With the Ops Room quiet, apart
from some external comms radios, personnel were poised for
the Maverick firing. I had the helicopter visual in IR camera only
slaved as it drew ever closer. There it was, a flash of light in the
IR camera. The helo launched the missile.
The missile popped up on the display with one sweep of TIR;
I didn’t even get a chance to manually initiate an engagement
because by then the missile hit its target. We saw a dramatic
flash on the FCS IR and TOPLITE screens.
My stardom ended as the cameras were shutdown. The ADC
team went away with some lessons learnt – a salutary reminder
of how fast and accurate the Maverick missile is - a good experience
for all.
MAY |
JUNE
DEPLOYEDTASKGROUP
H MNZS TE MANA [CDR B A GERRITSEN RNZN] &
HMNZS ENDEAVOUR [CDR D J TOMS MNZM RNZN]
15 – 17
17 – 20
20 - 29
29
29 - 31
WMSX – Exercise
Sembawang
Bersama Shield
Sembawang (Bersama
shield Closing ceremony)
Passage
01 – 03
03 – 05
05 – 08
08 – 16
16 – 19
19 – 25
25 - 28
28 – 30
Lumut
Ex Malzea
Port Klang
Passage
Darwin
Passage
Brisbane (TE MANA)
Townsville (ENDEAVOUR)
Passage
HMNZS TE KAHA [CDR M C WILLIAMS MNZM RNZN]
15 – 31 ESRA Maintenance 01 – 30 ESRA Maintenance
NAVALSUPPORTFORCE
HMNZS CANTERBURY [CDR J L GILMOUR RNZN]
15 – 18
18 – 23
23 – 30
30 – 31
DNB
Deployment preps
OP HAVRE / EEZ Patrol &
Passage
Apia
01 – 17
17 – 19
19 – 25
25 – 26
26 – 30
Ex TROPIC TWILIGHT
Apia
Passage & EEZ Patrol
Princess Wharf, Auckland
DNB
HYDROGRAPHICSURVEYFORCE
HMNZS RESOLUTION [LTCDR S D ARNDELL RNZN]
15 – 18
18 – 21
21 – 25
25 – 29
29 – 31
Gisborne
EEZ patrol
DNB
OOW(A) Course
DNB
01 – 21
22 – 25
25 – 26
27 – 28
29 – 30
DIVING&MCMFORCE
Maintenance
HATS
SATS
DNB
PAL
HMNZS MANAWANUI [A/LTCDR P J Rowe RNZN]
11 – 20
20 – 25
25 – 31
SSBA/Viper Training
DNB
Harbour Training
01 – 02
02 – 12
12 – 15
15 – 18
18 – 22
22 – 30
DNB
NAUTILUS Sea training
DNB
Dive training
DNB
TRIDENT WARRIOR
MAY |
DIVING&MCMFORCE
JUNE
OPERATIONAL DIVING TEAM [LTCDR A G MCMILLAN RNZN]
08 – 25
25 – 30
30 – 31
DNB – Harbour Training
NAUTILUS preps
DNB
01 – 02
02 – 12
12 – 14
15 – 19
20 – 30
HMNZS KAHU [LT M P KENNETT RNZN]
04 – 18
18 – 20
21 – 22
22 – 31
Maintenance
HATS
SATS
DNB – Harbour Training
01 – 02
02 – 06
06 – 08
08 – 10
10 – 13
13 – 15
15 – 20
20 – 22
22 – 30
HMNZS ROTOITI [LT A P MCHAFFIE RNZN]
15 – 29
29 – 31
Compiled By AEWS Andre Bjorn J33M HQ JFNZ
NOTE: THIS FORECAST IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Post Delivery
Availability Period
DNB
01 – 05
05 – 07
07 – 12
12 – 14
14 – 19
19 – 21
21 – 30
HMNZS HAWEA ACCEPTED
DNB
NAUTILUS
DNB
Equipment maintenance
DNB - Harbour training
DNB
Harbour training
DNB
Sea training
Harbour training
DNB
Ex CYCLONE
DNB
TRIDENT WARRIOR
Harbour training
DNB
Harbour training
DNB
HATS/SARC
DNB
SARC/CAT 6 Sea trials
RA Tony Parr presents LT Grant Jusdon with the
Commisioning warrant for HMNZS HAWEA on Friday 1 May
MC 09-0154-029
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