Plan Galileo was released in 2019 in response to the changing strategic environment and continuous Naval shipbuilding.
Plan Galileo ensures the current and future Royal Australian Navy fleet is effectively sustained so it can fight and win at sea. It is enhancing Navy’s agile approach and ability to surge from strategic locations across Australia, particularly key operational areas in the Pacific.
Maritime Sustainment Model
Plan Galileo approaches sustainment as a whole-of-life concept, considering sustainment from the design of a vessel through to disposal. Plan Galileo takes a fleet-wide view to sustainment, increasing efficiency and minimising duplication across the maritime domain. This approach is known as the Maritime Sustainment Model (MSM).
The MSM ensures the fleet is available when and where it is needed by:
- Standardising and streamlining contracts, systems, ICT tools, processes and procedures to remove duplication and improve safety and security for the sustainment workforce.
- Improving coordination and utilisation of resources.
- Building the skilled workforce needed to support increasing and changing sustainment demands.
- Ensuring infrastructure is fit for purpose.
The MSM comprises:
- Asset Class Enterprises, which are responsible for:
- through-life asset management
- planning, governance, technical and assurance functions, ensuring that sustainment artefacts are fit-for-purpose
- the provision and management of work programs and supply chain management.
- A network of Regional Maintenance Centres (RMCs) which are responsible for the management and execution of maintenance, bringing together the Commonwealth and industry in strategically located port cities around the country. The centres have the capability to sustain multiple asset classes.
Plan Galileo and the Maritime Sustainment Model - factsheet (PDF, 1.51 MB)
Milestones
Plan Galileo has achieved various milestones through its implementation of the MSM.
Maintenance Branch
The Maintenance Branch was stood-up in March 2024 to oversee the functions of the Regional Maintenance Centre (RMC) Network, with a focus on increasing Australian Industry participation.
Regional Maintenance Centres Network
All RMCs have been successfully established. The RMCs work with Systems Program Offices (SPOs) and Capability Life Cycle Managers (CLCM), which have responsibility for asset management.
RMCs actively engage with regional supply chain partners and foster sovereign sustainment capability to meet demand within the region, and execute on-time, standardised and compliant maritime materiel.
By the end of 2025 all RMCs will be at final functional capability with all in-service asset classes sustained.
Regional Maintenance Centre Network - factsheet (PDF, 824.04 KB)
Regional Maintenance Centre Journey video - 2024
Regional Maintenance Centre Network video - 2024
| Regional Maintenance Centre | Operational date | Regional Maintenance Provider | Details | Related links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RMC North East (Cairns) | March 2022 | NORTSA Maritime | Supports the evolved Cape class patrol boats, one Hydrographic Platform – HMAS Leeuwin, and associated hydrographic survey vessels. | |
| RMC West (Henderson) | June 2023 | Naval Ship Management | Products to be supported include the Arafura class offshore patrol vessels and the Anzac class frigates. | |
| RMC North (Darwin) | June 2024 | NORSTA North Pty Ltd. | Supports the evolved Cape class patrol boats and in the future Arafura class offshore patrol vessels. | |
| RMC East (Sydney) | July 2024 | Thales Australia |
Products to be supported include:
|
RMC National (Sydney)
RMC National (Sydney) is based at Garden Island Defence Precinct. This RMC is driving standardisation, coordination and efficiency across the RMC Network. The RMC acts as the strategic centre by capturing and analysing performance and related data that can be used to identify efficiencies and opportunities for improvement.
Regional Maintenance Centre (RMC) National Toolbox Talk video - 2024
Capability Life Cycle Managers
Capability Life Cycle Manager (CLCM) contracts are already in place for several asset classes, including the Arafura- class offshore patrol vessels, and the Hobart class destroyers.
As an integral part of Plan Galileo, the CLCMs provide a vital link between the acquisition project and the sustainment model, incorporating lessons learned into the support system and vessel improvements.
| Contract type | Contract date | Capability Life Cycle Manager | Details | Related links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multi-class CLCM contract - Amphibious and replenishment ships | April 2024 | Kellogg Brown and Root Pty Ltd (KBR) |
The 5 year contract will support the sustainment of:
|
|
| Hobart class destroyers | October 2022 | BAE Systems |
The 6 year CLCM contract will support the sustainment of the Hobart class destroyers. The role will provide the full spectrum of lifecycle management activities, from routine to major upgrades. A focal point of this contract is the Destroyer Capability Enhancement Program, scheduled for 2025, which will see these vessels receive state of the art combat system upgrades. |
|
| Offshore patrol vessels (OPV) | December 2020 | Raytheon Australia |
Responsible for:
|
Dock Operations and Reticulated Services Contract
On 1 December 2023, Thales Australia Limited was appointed the Dock Operations and Reticulated Services (DORS) contractor for the Captain Cook Graving Dock at Garden Island, NSW.
Under the 5 year DORS contract, Thales will work collaboratively with Commonwealth and industry organisations to bolster Defence capability. This will create up to 30 direct Defence industry jobs and supporting a broader ship repair workforce of about 300 people in the region.
The new DORS contract will restructure sustainment delivery and will generate improved maintenance planning, asset management and cost forecasting.
Designer Support Contracts
An element of the Asset Class Enterprise under the MSM is the Designer Support Contractor (DSC). The DSC is an industry-partner that supports a SPO, ensuring the vessels meet capability requirements and are seaworthy.
The DSC is responsible for the design function once vessels transition from acquisition to in-service and disposal. This will ensure fidelity of the design through the life of the class, product, systems or equipment.
A request for tender was released to Navantia in December 2023 for the DSC for the Navy’s Landing Helicopter Docks, the Hobart class destroyers and the Auxiliary Oiler replenishment ships. The contract is expected to be awarded before the end of 2024.