Senator Chris Evans: The Minister for Defence has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question: During the period 1 July to 31 December 2010 Navy met its obligations to designated operations and other short term directed tasking. Navy is not required to and does not prepare all fleet units to the same operational level of readiness. To do so would be unnecessary, inefficient and costly. The preparedness of fleet units is maintained at an appropriate level to meet strategic guidance and ensure effective training throughput. Those fleet units held at higher readiness for short notice operational roles are appropriately manned, equipped and trained for the tasks that they might have to perform. Fleet units at other stages of the continuum will also be crewed in a manner that is best suited to their assigned tasking. This might mean the reduction in certain trained/skilled positions filled in order to make way for additional trainees. Fleet units invariably go to sea with all available accommodation filled. To meet and sustain operational, exercise, preparedness and training requirements, fleet units are operated in a cycle of scheduled maintenance, training and operational availability. Planned major maintenance activity periods are a routine element of the operational cycle. Major Surface Combatants and Amphibious Ships: (1) to (3) During the period 1 July to 31 December 2010 the operational availability status of Surface Force naval vessels is summarised in Table 1 below. Table 1 HMA Ship Operational Planned Major Maintenance Non Operational Frigates Darwin 1 Jul – 31 Dec Melbourne 1 Jul – 31 Dec Newcastle 1 Jul – 17 Oct 18 Oct – 31 Dec Sydney 1 Jul – 31 Dec Anzac 1 Jul – 17 Dec 18—31 Dec Extended Readiness Arunta 1 Jul – 31 Dec Ballarat 24 Oct – 31 Dec 1 Jul – 23 Oct Parramatta 1 Jul – 31 Dec Perth 1Jul – 31 Dec Anti Ship Missile Defence Upgrade Stuart 1 Jul – 31 Dec Toowoomba 1 Jul – 31 Dec Warramunga 1 Jul – 31 Dec Afloat Support Ships Success 1 Jul – 1 Dec 1 Dec – 31 Dec Sirius 1 Jul – 21 Nov 22 Nov – 31 Dec Unplanned Engine Defect Rectification Amphibious Ships Kanimbla 1 Jul – 26 Sep 27 Sep – 31 Dec Operational Pause Manoora 1 Jul – 26 Sep 27 Sep – 31 Dec Operational Pause Tobruk 1 Jul – 31 Dec Balikpapan 1 Jul – 31 Dec Betano 1 Jul – 31 Dec Brunei 1 Jul – 4 Oct 5 Oct – 31 Dec Labuan 1 Jul – 31 Dec Tarakan 1 Jul – 31 Dec Wewak 1 Jul – 31 Dec The operational manning strengths in the Navy's Surface Force vessels (with the exception of Perth undergoing major upgrade) during the period were as follows: Ninety-five per cent crewed with engineering officers and 96 per cent crewed with engineer sailors; and (b) Ninety-seven per cent crewed with non-engineering officers and 96 per cent crewed with non-engineer sailors. Submarines: (1) to (3) During the period 1 July to 31 December 2010 the operational availability status of Submarine Force vessels is summarised in Table 2 below. Table 2 HMA Ship Operational Non Operational Planned Major Maintenance Collins 1 Jul – Mid Dec Mid-End December: Certification Extension Docking Waller 1 Jul – 31 Aug 1 Nov-31 Dec September-October: Intermediate Maintenance Activity Dechaineux 1 Jul – 30 Nov December: Intermediate Maintenance Activity Farncomb 01 Jul – 31 Dec: Intermediate Docking Sheean 01 Jul – 31 Dec: Full Cycle Docking Rankin 01 Jul – 31 Dec: Awaiting Full Cycle Docking The operational manning strengths in the Navy's Submarine Force (crewed submarines Collins, Waller and Dechaineux) during the period were as follows: (a) One hundred per cent crewed with engineer officers and 99.4 per cent crewed with engineer sailors; and (b) Ninety-eight per cent crewed with non-engineer officers and 93 per cent crewed with non-engineer sailors. Mine Hunting and Clearance Diving Forces: (1) to (3) During the period 1 July to 31 December 2010 the operational availability status of Mine Hunting Force vessels and Clearance Diving Force are summarised in Table 3 below. Table 3 HMA Ship Operational Planned Major Maintenance Non Operational Mine Hunter Coastal Diamantine 1 Jul–31 Dec Gascoyne 1 Jul–31 Dec Huon 1 Jul–31 Dec Yarra 1 Jul–31 Dec Hawkesbury 1 Jul-31 Dec Extended Readiness Availability (de-crewed.) Norman 1 Jul-31 Dec Extended Readiness Availability (de-crewed.) Australian Clearance Diving Teams AUSCDT One 1 Jul–31 Dec AUSCDT Four 1 Jul–31 Dec Mine Hunting: (4) The operational manning strengths in the Navy's Mine Hunting Force vessels (with the exception of Hawkesbury and Norman in Extended Readiness Availability) during the period were as follows: (a) One hundred per cent crewed with engineer officers and 88 per cent crewed with engineer sailors; and (b) Seventy-five per cent crewed with non-engineer officers and 100 per cent crewed with non-engineer sailors. Clearance Diving: (4) The operational manning strengths in the Navy's Clearance Diving Force during the period were as follows: (a) One hundred per cent crewed with engineer officers and 100 per cent crewed with engineer sailors; and (b) Ninety-eight per cent crewed with non-engineer officers (Clearance Diving supervisors) and 100 per cent crewed with non-engineer sailors (Clearance Divers and support staff.) Hydrographic Forces: (1) to (3) During the period 1 July to 31 December 2010 the operational availability status of Hydrographic Force vessels is summarised in Table 4 below. Exceptions are noted in the Non Operational column. Table 4 HMA Ship Operational Planned Major Maintenance Non Operational Leeuwin 1 Jul – 31 Dec Five days (October): Gearbox Defect Five days (November): Shaft Vibration Melville 1 Jul – 1 Aug Nine days (July): Fire fighting defect 2 Aug-31 Dec: Shaft Vibration Paluma 1 Jul – 31 Dec Benalla 1 Jul – 31 Dec Three days (September): Crane Defect Shepparton 1 Jul – 31 Dec Two days (October): Forward Looking Sonar One day (November): Fire Detection Panel Defect. Mermaid 1 Jul – 31 Dec 14 days (October): Fire Detection Panel Defect. (4) The operational manning strengths in the Navy's Hydrographic Force vessels during the period were as follows: (a) One hundred per cent crewed with engineer officers and 100 per cent crewed with engineer sailors; and (b) One hundred per cent crewed with non-engineer officers and 99 per cent crewed with non-engineer sailors. Patrol Boat Force: (1) to (3) During the period 1 July to 31 December 2010 the operational availability status of Patrol Boat Force vessels is summarised in Table 5 below. Exceptions are noted in the Non Operational column. Table 5 HMA Ship Operational Planned Major Maintenance Non Operational Armidale 1 Jul-31 Dec Albany 1 Jul-31 Dec 6 Sep-15 Oct: Operational Release Docking Wollongong 1 Jul-31 Dec Broome 1 Jul-31 Dec Larrakia 1 Jul-31 Dec 5 Jul-25 Oct: Operational Release Docking 18 Oct-2 Nov: Generator Defect 26 Nov-2 Dec: Defect Port Main Engine Bathurst 1 Jul-31 Dec 6 Sep-15 Oct: Operational Release Docking 1-10 Jul: Fuel pump failure 7-14 Jul: Defects Port and Starboard Main Engines 22-26 Nov: Defect Seaboat Davit Pirie 1 Jul-31 Dec 1-4 Jul: Shaft Seal failure Maitland 1 Jul-31 Dec 11-15 Jul: Defect Port Main Engine Ararat 1 Jul-31 Dec 1-18 Jul: Shaft Seal failure 8-31 Dec: Onboard Fire Bundaberg 1 Jul-31 Dec 4-31 Dec: Onboard Fire Childers 1 Jul-31 Dec 9-24 Nov: Bridge Equipment Defect Launceston 1 Jul-31 Dec 1 Jul-26 Jul: Operational Release Docking 11-18 Nov: Defect Port Main Engine Maryborough 1 Jul-31 Dec 23-30 Jul: Defect Port Main Engine 12-26 Aug: Defect Port Main Engine Glenelg 1 Jul-31 Dec 2-17 Sep: Steering System Defect 8-16 Nov: Engineering Monitoring System Defect (4) The operational manning strengths in the Navy's Patrol Boat Force during the period were as follows: (a) One hundred per cent crewed with engineer officers and 100 per cent crewed with engineer sailors; and (b) One hundred per cent crewed with non-engineer officers and 100 per cent crewed with non-engineer sailors.