Aug-Sep-Oct, Nov-Dec 1971-Jan 1972 - Navy League of Australia

DEFENCE REPORT 1971Naval Reserve ForcesAt 30 June 1971 the Naval Reserve Forces had a totalstrength of 6.011 made up as follows:RAN EmergencyReserve(part time).Citizen NavalForces(part time).WRANS Reserve(part time).75 officers 843 sailorsTotal1,333 officers 3.484 sailors> 5.0"4 officers 272 WRANSW.R.A.N.S., R.A.N.N.S.The Women's Royal Australian Naval Service had 31officers and 657 W.R.A.N.S. serving on 30 June 1971.The Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service at 30 Junehad a strength of 19 against an establishment of 30officers.Training—As a result of training research, advancesare being made in objectively specifying trainingrequirements. These are based, to an increasing degree,on job analyses. Accent is also being placed on moderntraining methods to ensure the most effective use oftraining time.Sailors—Initial, promotion and specialist training forsailors is conducted at various Navy schools as well aswith other organisations in Australia and overseas.Courses vary in duration from one day to four years.Annually about 1.700 sailors receive initial training afterentering the R.A.N, as adult recruits, junior recruits orapprentices.The pattern of sailor employment, promotion andtraining is currently receiving close examination takinginto account changes in other sectors of the communityand future needs of an expanding and more technicallycomplex Navy.Offlcar»—The degree training scheme for juniorofficers of the R.A.N, is now in full operation, andapproximately one-third of the officer entrants to theR.A.N. College each year begin degree courses. Degreesin Arts. Science and Engineering are available. Thesystem of offering one year of Science and Engineeringat the R.A.N. College as a First Year College of theUniversity of New South Wales is proving successful, andin 1970 there were no first year failures. Of 76 first yearpapers taken by students, there were 51 passes at creditlevel or better.Further efforts are being made to encourage sailors tobecome officers in tha R.A.N.. and each year up to 100sailors commence full-time courses of' either 6 or 18months to achieve the necessary pre-requisites forofficer rank.Personnel from Other Countries—During 1970.increasing numbers of students from Asian countriesundertook training courses with the Royal AustralianNavy. Courses ranged in length from 2 weeks to 3V4years, the latter for apprentices from the RoyalMalaysian Navy. Countries involved were Malaysia.Singapore. Indonesia and Brunei.JFlying TrainingDuring the second half of 1970 front line Fleet Air Armsquadrons carried out regular flying and weapontraining followed by deck landing practice which in turnwas followed by participation in Exercise Swan Lake.During the first-half of 1971 squadrons continuedtraining and work up in readiness for embarkation inH.M.A.S. Melbourne in August 1971.Front line squadrons will be embarked for majorexercises later this year and early in 1972.Delivery of 10 Macchi MB326H jet trainers is expectedto be completed by the end of 1971. These aircraft arebeing used for pilot training and Fleet training exercises.Sailor ReviewA committee to review sailor structure within theR.A.N, has made recommendations coveringengagement pattern, promotion rules, complementingand branch structures.Optional DischargeThe optional discharge scheme which was introducedin January 1970 for a trial period of one year iscontinuing. The scheme allows recruits the option ofseeking discharge after an initial period of trainingbefore committing themselves to full-time services.P.N.G. DivisionThe Papua New Guinea Division of the R.A.N, issteadily building up. At 30 June 1971 there were 235Papuan and New Guinean members serving, includingseven officers. These men are progressively taking overbillets in P.N.G. patrol boats and at the P.N.G. Base atManus Island. H.M.A.S. Tarangau.Civil PersonnelA total of 12.149 civilians were employed by theDepartment of Navy on 30 June 1971.BUILDINGS. WORKS AND HOUSINGExpenditure on buildings and works during 1970-71was $12.822m. In addition $1.925m. was advanced tothe States under the Commonwealth States HousingAgreement towards houses under construction and thecost of a further 345 houses for Naval personnel.Work began on the 2 l /i mile causeway between theWestern Australian mainland at Point Peron and GardenIsland in September 1970 and is expected to becompleted by mid-1973, giving road access to GardenIsland.Estimated to cost $9.490m.. the causeway will havetwo rubble mole sections, totalling more than 10.000 ft..I.000 ft. of steel trestle bridging and a 2.000 ft. longconcrete bridge.On 30 October 1970 the Government approved theconstruction of the second stage of the Cockburn Soundproject.It is proposed to provide base facilities capable ofsupporting four escort vessels and three submarines forperiods of up to a year without dry docking.Capital works would include the wharves and servicearea, workshops and stores buildings, engineeringservices, barracks, an armament depot with jetty andhousing, to be provided on the mainland.Other major works projects let to contract during1970/71 included three instructional buildings atH.M.A.S. Carbarns, Victoria, at a cost of $1.515m.. themarine engineering demonstration building at H.M.A.S.Pace Tlikty aiaht THE NAVY November-Oecember-January, 1971/72DEFENCE REPORT 1971Nirlmba, Quakers Hill. N.S.W.. at a cost ol $745,000.components of shipbuilding facilities at CockatooIsland. Sydney ($467,000), 14 new houses atCoonawarra West. Darwin ($370,000) and work on theoil fuel installation, the power generating plant,electrical plant and five residences at H.M.A.S.Tarancau, Manus Island, involving $1,034 m.Provision is made in the 1971-72 programme for anexpenditure of $13.5m. on buildings and works whichwill include a senior sailors' barracks complex atH.M.A.S. Cerberus, a wardroom mess and senior sailors'barracks at the Naval Air Station, Nowra (H.M.A.S.Albatrou), and a tactical trainer building at South Head.Sydney at a cost of $3.2m.As at 30 June. 3.030 houses had either been obtained,were under construction, or on approved programmesunder the Commonwealth States Housing Agreement.In addition, as at the end of June 1971, 983 Serviceownedmarried quarters had been obtained, or wereunder construction. There are also 61 houses for Navalpersonnel in Papua New Guinea.Provision has been made for a further 223 houses tobe programmed from advances to the States amountingto $3.749m. during 1971-72. A further eight areprogrammed for construction by the Commonwealth.The chart below shows major categories of proposed expenditure for the Navy in 1971-72 comparedwith actual expenditure for the previous year:ServiceCivilPayAllowancesSalariesandEstimated1971-72$m76.60949.480General Expenses . 19.150MaintenanceStoresMaintenanceof Equipment36.97617.248Maintenance of Buildingsand Works 4.380NavaltionAircraftPurchaseCapitalmentBuildings,Sites &Construc-Equip-Works,HousingRecoverable Expenditure17.5795.52515.31817.251for Other Govts 1.565Actual1970-71Sm71.62442.24417.17434.81513.1344.10410.325.83011.78415.5781.539Total from Appropriations. 261.081 223.151OutlaysUnitedfromStatesCredits . . 21.660 24.773Total Navy . 2M.741 247.924