The Royal Australian Navy purchased two prototype CHECKMATE canisters in 1999. Both were used for tank testing at Maribyrnong, Victoria and then for sea trials in the estuary offshore from the Naval Base at Cairns, Queensland. The lengths of the two prototypes were 1.470 meters and 1.250 meters long.

Tank test

The tank trials were designed to demonstrate the water flow through the canister. The tests were run 3 times in a tank 4.0 meters deep with dye to illustrate water flow. The impeller worked well and both prototypes were judged to have performed completely satisfactorily.

Sea trials

1. Estuary Trials at Cairns Naval Base wharf.

This location had a sea bed of black sediment over mud and water depths of 3.00, 4.00 and 5.00 meters.
Six test buryings were conducted taking between 10 to 60 seconds in which the canisters were buried completely. All trials were judged to be completely successful.

2. Sea Trials 500 meters North of Double Island.

This location had a sea bed of a thin covering of sand over solid clay and water depth of 9.50 meters.
Four test buryings were conducted taking between 30 to 120 seconds in which the canisters were buried to depths varying from 42% to 72% of length. All tests were judged to be completely successful.

3. Sea Trials 4 nautical miles North of Green Island.

This location had a sea bed of sand over hard substrata and water depth of 8.20 meters.
"Two test buryings were conducted taking 30 seconds in which the canisters penetrated0.15 meters into the sand. All trials were judged to be completely successful.

Energy consumption data was collected during the trials which have provided the basic assumptions for the calculation of power requirements and battery size.

The burying trials were considered to have demonstrated the burying principle satisfactorily and with prototypes proved to be viable and practical with the canister burying mechanism working as designed.

A copy of the Report prepared after the trials is available for inspection.