10 May 2006

DML opens enhanced facility to support rapid capability insertion

An upgraded Communications Shore Integration Facility (CSIF) to support the rapid capability insertion of communications capability to Trafalgar Class submarines was officially opened today, Wednesday 10 May, at DML Group's Devonport Royal Dockyard by Submarine Support (SUB) IPT AD Capability, Captain J Hart RN.

The fully functional facility, which is LAN-enabled and security accredited to receive and transmit live data, is fitted with racks, cables and operational equipment to fully replicate the submarine WT office, within a dedicated screened room and with roof-mounted antennae,

The facility has been developed as a joint project between DML and the MoD and represents a substantial investment toward de-risking future upgrade work. It has been designed to enable significant time and cost savings and increased efficiencies in equipment maintenance, testing and trials on communications programmes including CCSM (Communications Coherency for Submarines) and CESM (Communications Electronic Support Measures) equipment insertion.

The facility will enable full evaluation of new equipment and associated capability insertion processes. Integration, test and acceptance of design solutions can be de-risked, with procedures established in CSIF in a controlled environment before installation on board the host platform, significantly reducing time required on-board to test and prove systems. Upgrades can also be set-to-work in CSIF, minimising the chances of a problem occurring when fitted on the submarine, again representing substantial time saving and efficiencies.

"We expect to see a 25-33% reduction in the time required on board for tests and trials, with the use of the CSIF facility," DML CCSM project manager Keith Elsworth said. "We would also expect substantially reduced on-platform installation time, allowing insertion of the final increment to be completed during Fleet time," he added.

The Maritime, Commissioning, Trials and Assessment (MCTA) plans to use the facility for formal trials and has commented favourably on the advantages gained.

Officially opening the new facility, Captain Hart said: "I am extremely pleased to have been invited to open this important facility; it has a significant role to play in the Royal Navy's drive to deliver attack submarine capability through closer interoperability with other deployed forces. Furthermore, such a facility fits ideally with our desire to exploit modern technology to deliver future capability with minimum impact on submarine availability."

Work on this enhancement to the CSIF began in December 2005, with continued use of an earlier, more basic, facility to support the on-going upgrade programme while construction progressed. Development of the facility and the capability it offers aligns closely with the growing use of COTS (commercial off the shelf) technology and open systems architecture. Currently dedicated to communications systems on T-class submarines, it is expected that the CSIF will be further enhanced to provide development and trials facility for related LAN based combat systems equipment.