Saab Australia (Saab), Leidos Australia (Leidos), SeeByte and Sonartech Atlas have today announced their partnership, bidding for the delivery of the SEA 1905 Tranche 1 - Maritime Mine Countermeasures and Military Survey program.
Saab Australia Managing Director, Andy Keough, said that with this combination of industry experts, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) will be provided with globally proven mine countermeasure and military survey capability. This will be delivered by a strong and collaborative team who are committed to the evolution and strengthening of both the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and sovereign Australian industry capability.
“Together, this collaboration will be able to deliver world class equipment, training, technology, support and solutions to the Navy, ensuring the success of the SEA 1905 program and providing an unmatched toolbox of mission elements to achieve military survey and mine countermeasure capability effects for Australia.”
“Saab will provide the sovereign leadership and access to local industry content to ensure the successful delivery of the SEA 1905 program, drawing on our decades of in-country experience providing Australian defence with robust and reliable military software and hardware, combined with complex systems integration expertise and proven global capability.”
Leidos Australia Chief Executive, Paul Chase, said that Leidos will support the partnership through sovereign capabilities and experience, as well as expertise from the United States (US).
“Leidos Australia will be responsible for the Military Survey activity of the SEA 1905 offering. The experience and lessons from Leidos’ primed project, SEA 1770, will be a key factor in the Rapid Environmental Assessment Survey capability that Leidos will provide.”
Leidos will also be responsible for supporting the evergreening roadmap for autonomy, leveraging both its autonomous and cyber-worthiness credentials.
SeeByte will propose its open modular architecture Mission Management System (MMS), based on their SeeTrack, Neptune, and Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) products. These products are already fielded, vertically integrated, operationally proven and in-service with the United Kingdom, US and NATO Navies.
SeeByte Chief Executive Officer, Chris Haworth said that SeeByte are delighted to have been down-selected as one of the potential providers of the MMS for the SEA 1905-1 project.
“This collaborative approach brings together a best-of-breed solution to satisfy the Commonwealth’s needs for SEA1905. It also enables the development of new technologies and integration of existing ones as required - all whilst working with Australian industry to grow the nation’s sovereign capability.”
The SeeByte MMS uniquely offers a comprehensive and highly capable system, which is already integrated-to, and interoperable-with, a broad range of Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) vehicles and sensor types from many manufacturers, thus providing an “out of the box” solution. Additionally, the MMS is a modern software architecture, supported by a Software Development Kit. This enables delivery of a solution which can be easily an evergreening solution that will be indigenously supported by Australian industry, academia and defence scientific laboratories.
Sonartech Atlas Managing Director, Peter Campbell, said that Sonartech Atlas is delighted to be a key partner in the Saab led consortium.
“Sonartech Atlas will leverage the Atlas Elektronik Group’s extensive wealth of experience developing and delivering complex Mine Warfare systems. This includes autonomous MCM capabilities that have been delivered globally, including to the RAN. Our company will build on the existing Australian presence and look to develop sovereign capability through this program.”
Sonartech Atlas is a proven Australian SME, with decades of experience in the development, delivery and support of underwater warfare capabilities including MCM, sonar, acoustic analysis and hydrographic systems. Building on their extensive and deep global underwater warfare experience they will support the Saab led consortium with a truly non developmental autonomous MCM capability.
Saab, Leidos, SeeByte and Sonartech Atlas are an extremely capable collaboration who are best placed to provide the RAN with robust, reliable performance and repeatable outcomes. Additionally this team-based approach will offer continuous development and innovation to support evergreening requirements.
With a dedication to the growth of sovereign Australian industry capability this collaboration will leverage significant support and input from Australian SMEs, and will ensure the RAN is equipped with the best of breed underwater capability, to enable the success of the SEA 1905 program.
