Sayres Australia is proud to provide a tailored training solution for Serco’s ‘Oboe’ design, a state-of-the-art amphibious vessel.
The Government is investing up to $800 million to upgrade Army’s amphibious capabilities. The LAND 8710 Phase 1A program will introduce the next generation of medium landing craft, to replace the Australian Army’s ageing fleet of LCM-8 landing vessels.
On 9 May 2022, Serco and Civmec announced a joint venture named ‘Australian Maritime Alliance’ (AMA) to bid for LAND 8710 Phase 1A. The AMA will propose meeting the LAND 8710 requirement with Serco Australia’s Oboe Littoral Manoeuvre Vessel Medium (LMV-M).
Sayres Australia, a leading provider of ADF-compliant Training Development services, is proud to work as part of the Serco AMA bid for LAND 8710. Craig Powell, Chief Executive of Sayres Australia, said he was delighted to partner with Serco with all parties sharing the commitment to offer Defence the best solution possible. “Our partnership with Serco is a great example of a large Defence Prime working with a small Australian business,” he said. “And our business can provide specific expertise and skills that augment and improve the overall capability that Industry is able to offer Defence.”
Designed to enhance the ADF’s capabilities to operate in the region’s littoral domain, the Oboe offers an extended range and generous accommodation facilities, to support long endurance independent operations.
At Tasmania’s Australian Maritime College, the Oboe model underwent extensive tank testing, and rigorous speed and performance trials. Serco will use the trial results to enhance the craft’s design and refine performance specifications to meet Defence requirements.
Introducing the optimised craft to service would require an extensive training solution. Sayres Australia brings particular strengths to the partnership: deep expertise in the ADF Systems Approach to Defence Learning (SADL), and in the management and governance of large-scale Defence training programs. “We have the ability to provide an end-to-end training design service on behalf of Serco on any capability project,” he said. And this ability is key to the LAND 8710 bid. “The bid incorporates comprehensive introduction to service training packages to upskill personnel, and options to provide operational training and certification and through life training support,” explained Powell. “In addition to platform design, construction, delivery and ongoing through life support.”
The preferred tenderer for LAND 8710 Phase 1A is expected to be announced in late 2023 or early 2024. It is proposed the new vessels will be introduced into service from 2026.
“For us, the most exciting part of this opportunity is how a complete team of industry partners has been combined,” said Powell. “And together, we will provide a whole of life capability package for Defence, to support the one platform.”
For more information go to: https://www.serco.com/aspac
