Australian Antarctic Division Capability Development
28-Sep-2011
BMT Design & Technology, BMT Fleet Technology and QinetiQ Pty Ltd have teamed to provide the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) with the multi-disciplinary experience required to research the Division's future shipping needs.
The AAD’s current polar flagship the Aurora Australis is a multi-purpose research and resupply ship launched on the 18th of September 1989. The Aurora is 94.9 metres long, weighs 3911 tonnes, has a cruising speed of 13 knots and is capable of breaking ice up to 1.23 metres thick. Over its lifetime the Aurora has provided Australia with a Southern Ocean capability, however, as the end of its contracted service life approaches the lengthy process of finding the ship’s possible long term replacement needs to be considered.
The Aurora Australis. Left: Photograph by Chung, Hosung, AAD. Right: Photograph © Mike Zupanc/AAD.
The BMT Team has been contracted by the ADD to assist in exploring the potential functional and performance requirements of the replacement vessel to ensure that it will meet its operational needs. Using their proven experience in Capability Definition Document (CDD) development and CORE modeling coupled with support from international Subject Matter Experts (SME) in aviation and the polar maritime environment, the BMT Team will provide the expertise necessary to support a seamless transition to the Antarctic Program of the future.
