The Australian Customs Service is aiming to release a draft or final request for tender for its Civil Maritime Surveillance 2004 Project (CMS 04) in February, following the recent release of a draft statement of requirements (SOR).
While Customs' earlier interest in "innovative solutions" had resulted in anticipation that Australia could become one of the first to deploy unmanned air vehicles in a civil maritime surveillance role, the service is stressing that it is primarily interested in technologies that have been proven in civil maritime surveillance situations.
Customs says it has adopted a "low-risk profile" to limit the potential for disruption to the service. As a result, it is looking for advanced but proven technology and stable cost structure and forecasts. It adds, however, that it remains open to "all cost-effective solutions and all forms of technologies". It says: "Surveillance assets should consist of systems that have proven performance in similar operations or it can be demonstrated at an identifiable commercial sales stage by contract signing."
The service points out that this does not necessarily include "technology configurations that are currently used in military applications unless their migration to a CMS application can be clearly demonstrated".
The draft SOR is the result of the invitation to register interest in CMS 04 launched earlier this year. Nineteen full-service providers, including Aerosonde, Boeing Australia, NEC Australia, Raytheon Australia, Serco Group, Surveillance Australia and Tenix Defence have registered interest. A further 42 companies, including EADS, Embraer, Israel Aircraft Industries, L-3 Communications Australia, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Qinetiq, have registered interest as part service providers.
Industry has until 13 January to comment on the SOR, which firms up Customs' requirements for platforms, surveillance systems and communications.
Source: Flight International
