Dealing with the hidden risks of littoral manoeuvre

The grounding of the RFNS Puamau is a timely reminder of the new risks the Australian Army must consider as it adopts its new littoral manoeuvre strategy. The Austal-built Guardian Class Patrol Boat was conducting its first operational littoral patrol, and despite advanced navigational systems, struck a reef in the remote Lau group of islands. This incident, and a similar incident in Samoa, is a timely reminder of the new risks the Australian Army must consider as it adopts its new littoral manoeuvre strategy.

The Austal-built Guardian Class Patrol Boat was conducting its first operational littoral patrol, and despite advanced navigational systems, struck a reef in the remote Lau group of islands. This incident, and a similar incident in Samoa in 2021, highlight new challenges and inherent dangers for the Army as it prepares to operate large watercraft in the littoral, where shallow waters, coral reefs, and unpredictable weather conditions are the norm. 2021, highlight new challenges and inherent dangers for the Army as it prepares to operate large watercraft in the littoral, where shallow waters, coral reefs, and unpredictable weather conditions are the norm.

The Australian Army's L8710 Littoral Manoeuvre Vessels, due to be delivered by 2027 and with pressure to accelerate delivery, will provide the ADF with independent shore-to-shore and ship-to-shore capability to enable movement and sustainment of the amphibious Joint Force over extended ranges in the restricted littoral and riverine environments. While this may offer a new 'blue water capability', its effectiveness will be determined by its ability in the littoral. These zones require precise and often dynamic navigation to avoid natural underwater obstacles that can cause significant damage to hulls and propulsion systems.

The littoral zones of the Indo-Pacific are prone to rapidly changing weather conditions, including sudden storms and cyclones, reducing visibility and making navigation precarious. For large watercraft, the ability to quickly and safely adjust course in response to unexpected weather is limited, increasing the risk of accidents and operational failures.

Another critical risk is the limited availability of detailed and up-to-date hydrographic data. Many areas within the Indo-Pacific littoral zones remain under-charted or inadequately surveyed. This lack of precise information can lead to navigational errors and increase the likelihood of groundings and collisions.

As expected, the Australian Army is working hard to train its way through this challenge with personnel who will operate these new vessels completing Maritime Warfare Officer courses. But much more is needed for the Army to build a comprehensive capability.

Robotic technology offers the Australian Army a promising solution to control the risks of operating in the complex littoral zones of the Indo-Pacific. Advanced systems such as autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are equipped with high-resolution sonar and real-time data processing capabilities. These technologies can conduct detailed hydrographic surveys, providing accurate and up-to-date maps of undersea terrain, which are critical for safe navigation. By enhancing situational awareness and enabling precise navigation, robotic technology significantly reduces the risk of groundings and enhances the overall safety and efficiency of maritime operations in littoral zones.

The technology of Jaia Robotics represents an option the Australian Army should consider to de-risk littoral operations. JaiaBots are low-cost, micro-sized, high-speed Aquatic Drones used for data collection and payload delivery. The vehicles are ultraportable and can be launched from almost anywhere making their use broader than sub-surface oceanographic survey. 1st Wave is excited to showcase JaiaBots at Land Forces 2024 and will highlight their low cost and ease of use which minimises operator training time and maintenance needs.

Interestingly, over 250 years ago, just 600km north of what is now the Australian Army's largest base in Townsville, the best naval navigator of at least his generation Captain James Cook, RN ran his ship Endeavour into the reef that now bears the ships' name. In a remarkable act of seamanship, Cook was able to keep his ship afloat long enough to make landfall, beaching on a riverbank where the city Cooktown now stands. Calling on the great skill of his crew, Cook repaired the damage with what he could find and went on to complete a remarkable expeditionary voyage.

While they will need the same skills of seamanship, leadership and guile as Cook, the Officers who will Captain Army's new high-technology Landing Craft will not be able to locally repair devastating damage done by undersea littoral hazards. As the Australian Army develops its littoral manoeuvre capability, it should consider the use of Robotic and Autonomous Systems like JaiaBots to ensure it leaves no stone unturned in de-risking these difficult operations.

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