The Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has completed its seven-year Robust upgrade program, which involved the transformation of the bureau’s information and observing technology systems.
The Robust program received funding in the 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2020-21 federal budgets. At the program closure in 2024, the total expenditure from 2017-18 to 2023-24 financial years was US$866m.
Improved meteorological infrastructure
According to the organization, the program has been the most ambitious project in the history of the bureau. The improvements achieved by Robust include improved cyber and physical security capabilities; new IT infrastructure, networks and data centers; a new supercomputer computer for back-up and disaster recovery; upgrades to observing systems, including new and upgraded radars, automated weather balloon launchers, flood warning equipment and associated communications networks; a new, secure and resilient bureau website; and upgraded technology platforms for space weather and flood forecasting. Additionally, a standardized national operating environment has been implemented to help bureau employees work remotely anywhere in Australia and access all the technologies they need to do their jobs.
BoM’s 2015 cybersecurity breach
The Robust program was developed to address security, stability and resilience vulnerabilities following a cybersecurity breach and major outages in 2015 and early 2016. Reviews of bureau technology, infrastructure and other capabilities identified that vulnerabilities partly due to a lack of sustained investment were jeopardizing bureau services.
This investment was completed to enable more effective and efficient service delivery in the future and ensure the bureau can more rapidly develop and support improved products, data and services and recover from service interruptions.
Dr Andrew Johnson, CEO of the BoM, commented, “The Robust program has delivered secure, stable and resilient information and observing technologies for the Australian community, ensuring the bureau can continue in its core mission of providing trusted, reliable and responsive weather, water, climate and ocean services for Australia – all day, every day.
“This vital investment in our nationally critical capabilities ensures the bureau maintains its position as one of the world’s foremost and most respected hydrological and meteorological agencies. Robust has been an extraordinary team effort over many years. I thank our staff, partners and suppliers for their outstanding efforts.”
In related news, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) recently installed a weather radar in Toowoomba in the Darling Downs region of Queensland. Click here to read the full story.