Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division, Keyport’s Detachment San Diego is preparing to conduct a magnetic treatment on a second Royal Australian Navy vessel following the first success treatment of an Australian ship at the Magnetic Silencing Facility (MSF) on Naval Base Point Loma (NBPL) in November 2019. 

HMAS Brisbane (DDG 41) is one of the Royal Australian Navy’s newest and most advanced warships, and was the first Australian vessel to undergo magnetic treatment at the MSF.

The San Diego MSF conducts magnetic measurements and magnetic treatments, often known as “deperms,” for surface ships.  The purpose of magnetic treatment reduces a warship’s vulnerability to magnetic and electromagnetic mines.  Naval ships undergo magnetic signature testing and treatments as part of their life-cycle support.

“The deperming process decreases the warship’s susceptibility to magnetic detection and reduces the distance at which a ship will trigger magnetic-influence mines,” said Gary Kwong, Detachment San Diego’s technical project manager at the MSF.

The full deperm included briefings, logistics, pre-arrival preparations, electrical cable wrapping and unwrapping, followed by magnetic treatments. MSF engineers also installed a GPS and facilitated runs over the San Diego magnetic range facility.

“HMAS Brisbane is the first Royal Australian Navy ship to be depermed at MSF San Diego,” said Victor Valerio, Detachment San Diego’s lead engineer at the MSF. 

The magnetic range facility measures the magnetic signature of a ship as it crosses over a sensor array.  The Brisbane deperm was completed with satisfactory results, and another Australian DDG is already scheduled for deperming at the San Diego MSF in 2020.

"We're excited to be collaborating and hosting the HMAS Brisbane and our Australian deperming counterparts in achieving an acceptable magnetic signature level for their ship,” said Kwong.

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