The first of 14 Royal Australian Navy major surface assets to be equipped with BAE Systems Australia’s Advanced SATCOM Terrestrial Infrastructure System, Maritime Communications Element (MASTIS) terminal upgrade is scheduled to sail from Garden Island in Sydney in mid-November.
ANZAC class frigate HMAS Parramatta has had the upgrade installed during a scheduled maintenance period, and will soon be followed by the amphibious support ship, HMAS Choules. The RAN’s remaining seven ANZAC frigates, three Hobart class destroyers, and two Canberra class LHDs will also receive the upgrade.
BAE Systems says the upgraded terminals will provide increased bandwidth, greater efficiency of Defence satellite capacity, and enhanced network interoperability between ships, aircraft, and land-based platforms. The project also includes an upgraded MASTIS training facility in the Sydney suburb of North Ryde.
“The company is a world leader in the development and delivery of bespoke communications technologies including the long-standing support to the MASTIS terminals,” BAE Systems Australia Defence Delivery Director Andrew Gresham said in a statement. “The sailing of the first ships to receive their MASTIS upgrade is a really important milestone in this program, and demonstrates our commitment to collaborating with the Commonwealth to bring timely capability to the end users.”