Australian frigate risk reduction studies signed
The Australian government has signed an agreement with Navantia for the Risk Reduction and Design Study (RRDS) Phase for the Department of Defence’s (DoD’s) SEA 5000 Future Frigate programme, the company announced on 29 August.
The government has entered into similar agreements with BAE Systems and Fincantieri. The agreements come under the DoD’s Competitive Evaluation Process (CEP) for the programme.
According to Navantia, the agreement will see the company engage in processes for approximately one year that will allow the DoD to assess the risk, capability and other matters associated with Navantia’s proposed ship design.
Back in April 2016 the government granted first pass approval for the Future Frigates. Three designers – BAE Systems with the Type 26 Frigate; Fincantieri with the FREMM Frigate, and Navantia with a redesigned F100 – were short-listed to refine their designs. The frigates will all be built in Adelaide, incorporating the Australian-developed CEA Phased-Array Radar.
The CEP is scheduled to return second pass approval in 2018, which will allow for construction to commence in Adelaide in 2020. The programme is estimated to be worth more than $35 billion.
More from Naval Warfare
-
![UK’s Type 31 frigate balances cost pressure with long-term export ambition]()
UK’s Type 31 frigate balances cost pressure with long-term export ambition
The UK shipbuilder’s full-year results to the end of March revealed the impact of the £140 million charge linked to design changes and rework on the Royal Navy’s Type 31 frigate programme.
-
![US Navy expands non-standard acquisitions to rapidly field emerging technologies]()
US Navy expands non-standard acquisitions to rapidly field emerging technologies
The US Navy is increasing the use of OTA obligations to accelerate the procurement of seabed-subsea, littoral, expeditionary and uncrewed solutions.
-
![Can Portugal solve NATO’s uncrewed systems development challenge?]()
Can Portugal solve NATO’s uncrewed systems development challenge?
NATO has spent more than a decade building one of the world’s most sophisticated maritime uncrewed experimentation ecosystems, but still lacks a way to translate this testing into alliance-wide operational capability. Portugal now believes it has the answer.
-
![Eurosatory 2026: Schiebel’s frigate-first strategy indicates a shift in UAV competition]()
Eurosatory 2026: Schiebel’s frigate-first strategy indicates a shift in UAV competition
Schiebel is pursuing opportunities in the UK and France while leveraging its integration with Naval Group’s FDI frigate programme to create new naval business across Europe.
