Thales Australia has been awarded an in-service support contract by the Australian Department of Defence under the SEA 1442 phase 3 programme for a maritime tactical wide area network.

Under the five-year contract, Thales will provide a range of engineering, maintenance, supply and help desk support for the system.

Thales Australia CEO Chris Jenkins said the SEA 1442/3 programme would convert the Royal Australian Navy maritime communication capability into a network-enabled capability.

SEA 1442 phase 3 will provide initial capability in the form of an internet protocol (IP)-based maritime tactical wide area network (MTWAN), which will support the Australian Defence Force’s network-centric warfare concept.

The system will provide foundation for future maritime communication systems integration and implementation.