A Currawong SATCOM trailer for future use by Australia’s military. (Boeing)
LAND FORCES 2022 — After several technical and supply chain delays, Boeing Defense Australia has delivered the vast majority of a complex data and communications system known as Currawong.
“In just eight years, a team of more than 200 people, located primarily in Brisbane, has designed and developed a world-leading system which provides the Australian Army with access to more voice, data and video services in the field than ever before,” Boeing said in a statement here.
The $875 million AUD program was formally known as Land 2072 Phase 2B when it began. Seven years later it’s known as JP 2072 Phase 5B. The system, Boeing said in the statement, is designed so Australian forces “can securely connect to one another and headquarters from anywhere in the world, anytime.”
The system has already been mounted on Australia’s vaunted Bushmaster vehicles and could be used by the Royal Australia Navy for its SEA 1442, the Royal Australian Navy’s communications program for its upgraded Anzac frigates.
But all was not without some drama. Breaking Defense had heard of some delays in the program and sent questions to the Ministry of Defense ahead of the show.
“The Headquarters On The Move (HQOTM) capability has been delayed due to a power issue identified on the vehicles that prevented Boeing Defence Australia (BDA) from completing production and delivery to Defence. BDA has worked closely with Defence to minimise the impact to the delivery schedule of the HQOTM Capability,” a ministry spokesperson said in an email.
In addition, “The Deployable Data Centre Assembly (DDCA) capability has been delayed due to supply chain issues which were exacerbated by COVID-19 and flooding in South East Queensland in February 2022. BDA is working closely with Defence to minimise delays to the delivery schedule of the Deployable Data Centre Assembly capability.”
The good news is that “the cost of the HQOTM and DDCA capabilities remains within the contracted budget, with delivery and training of both capabilities expected to be completed by mid-2023.”
Overall, the delays will not effect the program passing the Final Operational Capability milestone in September 2023.
Boeing presentation on Project Currawong. (Boeing)
That there were delays may not be a surprise, given the complexity of the Currawong effort.
How complex is it? “It includes multiple transmission options, from Wideband Global Satellite to fibre to public networks, combined with innovative system management and networking software, to deliver high-quality, uninterrupted communications services. These services can be tailored for any sized mission — from supporting a small unit to providing full remote headquarter operations,” the Boeing release says.
The program used the long-touted acquisition approach of build a prototype, test it, let users try it, improve it and build it. And the system was built entirely by Australians, with more than 220 smaller Australian companies contributing.
The Boeing team spoke today of exporting the system — though they did not identify any potential customers — and of building it out to “make it a true joint force architecture.”
Boeing appears to have reason for optimism for the program to expand, since the Australian government has committed to a multi-year Capability Enhancement Program, which will see upgrades appear over time. In the Boeing statement, Tom Minge, Boeing Defence Australia’s Currawong program director, noted that is not the usual end to a program. “In the past, at the completion of development programs such as Currawong, we would traditionally shift to a pure sustainment contract, with limited scope for upgrades and enhancements.”
