Air Warfare Destroyer

Scope of Work:

BlueZone Group provides in-country Through Life Support (TLS) for essential communications and navigation equipment, which is integrated into the three Hobart class Air Warfare Destroyers (AWDs), and operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). BlueZone Group’s core capabilities and expertise are in providing in-country Through Life Support activities to complex electronic and electromechanical systems provided by overseas Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) to the Australian Defence Force. Support to Air Warfare Destroyer includes:

  • Engineering Studies. Completion of studies for sewage and diesel engine emissions options.
  • General Announcing and Entertainment System: Partnering with Compañia de Instrumentación y Control, SL (CIC) of Spain to offer General Announcing and Entertainment systems. CIC has supplied many systems for internal and external communications in warships and commercial ships including the Navantia F100 frigates and the BPE (Buque de Proyección Estratégica – Ship of Strategic Projection). The scope of supply by CIC has included implementation of 1MC (General Announcing), 6MC (Intership), 5MC (Flight Deck Announcing) and 75 MC (Decontamination Stations Intercommunication) together with Entertainment Systems.
  • Navigation Lighting. Partnering with Unilux Geomar of Spain for the supply of Navigation Lighting

Key Achievements:

  • On-time provision of equipment to support AWD build schedule
  • Establishment of in-country support capability for CIC Systems equipment
NUSHIP Hobart conducts sea trials in the Gulf St Vincent off the coast of Adelaide South Australia. *** Local Caption *** Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F/A-18A/B Hornet aircraft and the P-8A Poseidon aircraft have conducted low level, fast-flying operations over the Gulf St Vincent in support of the sea acceptance trials of NUSHIP Hobart. The trials were conducted in standard Defence restricted airspace to test the ship’s systems in a maritime environment. The sea acceptance trials represent the beginning of the formal ship acceptance process in the lead up to the delivery of the first Hobart Class Destroyer, NUSHIP Hobart, later this year (2017).

General Announcing and Entertainment System

The Air Warfare Destroyers General Announcing and Entertainment System comprises the following circuits:

  • 1MC (General announcing).
  • 6 MC (Inter-ships)
  • 5 MC (Flight Deck announcing)
  • 75 MC (Decontamination Stations intercommunication)
  • Entertainment System

Principal system functions are:

  • Announcing and Notices from Communication Stations to the selected loudspeaker lines.
  • Generation, activation and broadcast of alarms throughout all the ship’s loudspeaker network.
  • Broadcast of entertainment programs through part of the system loudspeakers

Sample system components for which BlueZone Group provides support in Australia are described below.

Intercom Unit (CIC-I-518/D)

Intercom Unit for point-to-point communication with the talk-back loudspeakers to different zones. The equipment is rugged and compact, designed for marine intercommunication systems for military applications. Mechanics are specially treated for the marine environment.

  • Communication capability for 4 lines.
  • A common listen-speak loudspeaker (talk-back)
  • Receiving volume control knob.
  • Hands-free operation

Intercom Unit (CIC-I-518/D)

Intercom Unit for point-to-point communication with the talk-back loudspeakers to different zones. The equipment is rugged and compact, designed for marine intercommunication systems for military applications. Mechanics are specially treated for the marine environment.

  • Communication capability for 4 lines.
  • Common listen-speak loudspeaker (talk-back)
  • Receiving volume control knob.
  • Hands-free operation

6MC Loudspeaker and Remote-Control Unit (CIC-397/200) 

6MC Loudspeaker and Remote-Control Unit enables megaphonic ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore communication. Comprised of a set of identical loudspeakers, fully watertight and weather resisting. The structure is treated for seawater and corrosive environments. The total output of the assembly is approximately 200W. A motor-driven control unit enables azimuthal mobility of ± 180 ° from the resting position. All cable inlets and outlets are made through glands to thus assure fully water tightness of the assembly.