Australian Navy’s Maintenance and Sustainment Program Ends

One of Australian Navy’s most comprehensive implementation programs aimed at improving ships’ seaworthiness and fleet sustainability and preparedness has been completed.

The Rizzo Reform Program, a joint Navy and Defence Materiel Organisation initiative, was established in response to the Plan to Reform Support Ship Repair and Management Practices led by Mr Paul Rizzo.

His report, released in July 2011, looked at the repair, maintenance and sustainment of Navy’s amphibious fleet and 24 recommendations were put forward to the then Australian Government, all of which were accepted.

Mr Rizzo subsequently chaired the Rizzo Reform Implementation Committee which had Chief of Navy and the CEO of the Defence Materiel Organisation as members.

Only two out of the original 24 recommendations remain outstanding.

Program Head, Commodore Robert Horsnell, said that over its life, the Rizzo Program has successfully established the foundations of a strong and resilient maritime sustainment environment.

The range of issues which the Program was tasked to address was significant and crossed all areas of the sustainment business.

Major areas of focus included asset and capability management, understanding and managing the total cost of platform ownership, addressing shortfalls in naval engineering and maintenance, integrated risk management and culture as well as the introduction of the Defence Seaworthiness Management System.

Although the Program is now closed, the ‘voyage’ is now underway in earnest and I am confident that we have laid and, more importantly, secured the foundations for a better future.

Work will continue in areas such as lifecycle management, rebuilding engineering and seaworthiness. Monitoring of the Rizzo Reform outcomes will continue for at least two years.

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Press release, Image: Australian Department of Defence