Royal Australian Navy establishes new warfighting agency

The Royal Australian Navy has opened a centralized warfighting agency, designed to enhance the navy’s lethality in times of conflict.

As explained, the Maritime Warfare Centre merges the Royal Australian Navy Test and Evaluation Authority (RANTEA) and Australian Maritime Warfare Centre (AMWC) into a centralized body to support current and future capabilities to fight and win at sea.

Director of the Maritime Warfare Centre, Captain David Frost said the center will provide expanded Test and Evaluation, Tactical Development and Operational Analysis throughout the Capability Life Cycle.

“The First Principles Review and the National Naval Shipbuilding Enterprise has driven Navy to re-think how they provide warfighting support. Continuous shipbuilding requires continuous design, testing, and tactical development, and Navy is evolving to meet this challenge,” Captain Frost said.

Captain Frost said the amalgamation of RANTEA and AMWC will take the Royal Australian Navy warfighting to the next level.

“We will continue to apply scientific, engineering, and deep warfare experience to understand what our ships, submarines, and aircraft are capable of, and how we can get the most out of them when called upon”, Captain Frost continued.

“We will establish Test and Tactics Development Teams that will support Navy Programs from inception to completion. They will plan, collect and analyse data that will inform critical decisions about current and future systems.”

In parallel, warfare program and operational analysis teams will collaborate with agencies to develop plans across sea control, littoral, integrated air and missile defence and information warfare domains.

According to Frost, these plans will provide the battle rhythm for all trials, ensuring “the right systems are tested at the right time to support the right decisions”.

The Maritime Warfare Centre is located at Garden Island, Sydney.