Prototyping work has begun on the Hunter-class frigate programme for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), shipbuilder BAE Systems Australia announced on 18 December.
During this phase, five representative ship blocks will be manufactured and assembled. Systems, processes, facilities and workforce competencies will be established and tested, providing a solid operational foundation before construction starts on the first frigate in 2022. BAE Systems Australia CEO Gabby Costigan said: ‘The pace of the programme has been swift. We have moved into a modern, digitally advanced shipyard, progressed the design of the ship and significantly expanded our workforce.’
The Hunter-class ASW frigate is based on the Type 26 Global Combat Ship design adopted by the UK Royal Navy and Royal Canadian Navy.
In all, under the Sea 5000 programme the RAN is acquiring nine frigates to replace its fleet of eight Anzac-class ships.
Shephard Defence Insight estimates the unit cost of each frigate at A$2.9 billion ($2.17 billion).
As part of our promise to deliver comprehensive coverage to our Defence Insight and Premium News subscribers, our curated defence news content provides the latest industry updates, contract awards and programme milestones.
Sea 5000 Future Frigate (Hunter Class) [Australia]
The expansion of the Redstone facility in Alabama will enable Raytheon to increase production of Standard Missiles in the location by 50% and support Washington in refilling stockpiles after recent operations have depleted the Pentagon’s reserves.
Major naval initiatives including the European Patrol Corvette programmes and Norway’s UK partnership-focused purchase of Type 26 frigates point to the growing interest in the advantages of commonality across allied navies.
The UK Royal Navy’s rapid procurement of uncrewed platforms aligns with the force’s strategic shift towards a fleet better equipped to handle modern threats.
The Astute-class submarine’s visit to Australia was the first time maintenance activity on a UK Royal Navy nuclear submarine had been carried out in the country.
The offensive against Iran could impact training and maintenance cycles and accelerate the degradation of the US arsenal on top of depleting Washington’s stockpiles.
The UK MoD is scoping out systems to counter the growing threat of uncrewed aerial systems, with a focus on low-cost modularity and speed to field.
Connect with us on socials
