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U.S. Report DD(x) and Deepwater projects, respec- tively, have grabbed headlines while announcing billions in new business opportunities that will sustain the U.S. maritime infrastructure for some time to come. The trickle down from military and coast guard projects will be signifi- cant to all sectors of the U.S. business, but the opportunity offered under the broad category of "port and waterway security" — which will include federal, regional and local dollars — should not be underestimated. The waterborne forces tapped to pro- tect and patrol, both near and far, is lit- erally being reinvented. Military author- ities are actively pursing the integration of small, fast, versatile craft that will allow a vast expansion in the collection, dissemination and utilization of infor- mation so that larger, slower, more expensive assets such as aircraft carriers, can be further shielded from potential harm. A vessel central to this concept — Westpac Express — though consid- ered a surrogate technology, has won rave reviews from all corners of the mil- itary. The 331-ft. (101-m) high-speed The- atre Support Vessel delivered to the U.S. military by Austal Ships has exceeded all expectations in its first year of oper- ation. Having traveled in excess of 85,000 n.m. at an operational availabili- ty rate of practically 100 percent, West- Pac Express is now also playing an important role in the development process for future advanced vessel con- cepts for military use. The U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) has tasked the Carderock Division of the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC- CD) to conduct a range of propulsion, fuel economy and seakeeping trials on the Austal TSV 101. This information will not only provide baseline technical data for the wider Theatre Support Ves- sel program but will also establish per- formance thresholds against which future advanced vessel concepts can be compared. "Austal considers the enhancement of the military sector's understanding of the true capabilities of its high speed craft platforms to be an important process in furthering their use in defense applications, and is thus keen to assist in projects of this type," said managing director. Bob McKinnon. "We are very pleased that WestPac Express has been selected for this pro- ject." That role includes the deployment of troops, vehicles and cargo in the West- ern Pacific region for the Third Marine Expeditionary Force (I1IMEF) of the US Marine Corps based in Okinawa, Japan. WestPac Express arrived in Oki- nawa on July 12, 2001 to begin a proof- of-concept period of operation. The suc- cess of the vessel during this period led to a three year contract with the U.S. Military Sealift Command being signed in January this year — the first time the U.S. Military has contracted a commer- cial vessel of this type for military sup- port. The vessel has impressed the U.S. Marines, as Lt. General Gregson, Com- mander of the IIIMEF in Okinawa, described the Austal catamaran as "a faster, better and cheaper way to deploy than any other we have had before. Not only has it lived up to our expectations, it has exceeded our expectations. TRAIN ON THE WORLD'S FIRST DIESEL ELECTRIC SIMULATOR RTM STAR CENTER , the premier maritime training center in the Americas, announces the installation of the world's first Full Mission Diesel Electric Simulator. This simulator is based on a design by Kongsberg Maritime Ship Systems with enhanced mechanical and electrical systems enabling it to meet the demanding STCW '95 requirements for Class "A" full mission simulation. The Full Mission Diesel Electric Simulator will be used to train experienced maritime professionals in the use of proper plant management procedures with an emphasis on safety and human factors. M- 0. ^ L Additionally, the training can be specific in nature for equipment familiarization or more general when used for plant management or Engine Room Resource Management (ERM). The simulator also has the ability to create realistic scenarios requiring troubleshooting and casualty control. This enables real-time assessment of know ledge and proficiency. If you are interested in finding out more information about RTM STAR Center's state-of-the-art maritime training, please contact one of our customer service representatives. Ft. Lauderdale & Toledo 1-800 445-4522 Visit our website: www.star-center.com RTM STAR Center SIMULATION. TRAINING. 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