DCN AUGUST Edition 2019

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INDUSTRY OPINION RAN long-term staff shortage leaves Australia vulnerable Captain Harry Mansson makes the case for using civilian mariners to overcome staff shortages in the Navy THE FRIGATE HMAS PERTH underwent a substantial and costly capability upgrade and refurbishment in 2017, but the frigate has been in dry-dock since then due to a lack of RAN manpower. Current predictions are that the ship will continue to idle until 2021, giving it a total off-period of four years. It raises the question of what would happen to any chief executive of a nongovernment listed or private company if they allowed substantial capital investments for upgrading any project without ensuring the manning and logistics would be in place for its full utilisation. The Australian Strategy Policy Institute said the prolonged dry-docking was a particular current problem since it comes at a time when the Navy is expected to expand its regional activities in the Pacific and Indian Oceans and in southeast Asia. The Australian Defence Association executive director Neil James said the federal government dictates the manning levels to be funded. Additional recruitment and training may provide long term solutions, but in the short term the Australian Defence Force should be considering expanding the current practice of using Australian merchant seafarers in a range of auxiliary roles, including supply vessels, training ships and tankers. I have been reliably informed that discussions between the RAN and the Australian seafarers associations (seamen, officers and engineers) have long ago settled on a mutually acceptable protocol setting down employment conditions and other matters. Australian seafarers already have a proven track record of operating support vessels for the ADF. Australian merchant seamen work on a range of support vessels providing government services from AMSA emergency response vessels and those used for border protection. But this model has plenty of room for substantial expansion, allowing uniformed personnel to fill crew shortages that are undermining the operational capabilities of the ADF. The ADF could then immediately free up such Navy personnel to crew HMAS Perth (and any others) from auxiliary and support vessels with those roles being filled by highly skilled and experienced Australian seafarers. While the decline of the Australian merchant fleet has seen a huge loss of skills and experience from the Australian coastline, it does provide a unique opportunity for the RAN to put many more of those seafarers to work. I believe there is mutual enthusiasm for this strategy from both the RAN and the seafarers. It is to be hoped that there could be a bipartisan approach to this situation, when the concept is raised when the Parliament resumes. The issue involves In the short term the Australian Defence Force should be considering expanding the current practice of using Australian merchant seafarers in a range of auxiliary roles. national security, the waste of idle RAN resources and the social and economic benefits in using our civilian capacities. The sequence of events could be: • Replace as many uniformed regular RAN staff from the type of vessels where merchant navy personnel can do the job. • Place the freed-up Navy staff on board the HMAS Perth, presumably mixed up with others from similar vessels, who can contribute to rapid training. Captain Harry Mansson, former shipping executive, sea captain and sailor • Equip the HMAS Perth for the full range of frigate capabilities, focusing on underwater attacks of every kind. From my own personal military navy experience I am aware of the practice of deploying intense training when a warship is in transit to its designated area of activity. • Despatch the HMAS Perth to assist with the protection of Australian fuel exports from the Gulf and other loading areas. Add additional RAN units as may be required to give maximum such protection in exposed regions. It would have the benefit for Australian taxpayers seeing an expensively upgraded and badly needed RAN unit being pulled out from its expected four-year idle exhibition and do what the RAN is supposed to do – protect Australian interests. Surely the recent attacks on six tankers in the Persian Gulf should produce enough encouragement for our government to become active and use the military assets to which it has been entrusted, to the fullest possible extent in the interest of our country. Image supplied 64 August <strong>2019</strong> thedcn.com.au
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DCN AUGUST Edition 2019

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