Frigates for the Royal Australian Navy
Artist's impression of the BAE Systems Type 26 frigate.
Class overview
Builders BAE Systems Australia , Osborne Naval Shipyard
Operators Royal Australian Navy
Preceded by Anzac class frigate
Cost
A$ 46 billion (2020)[ 1] for 9 units out-turned (est.)
A$ 6.2 billion (2023)[ 2] acquisition budget for first 3 ships
Built From 2024
In service From 2034
Planned 6 (from 9)
Building 1
Cancelled 3
General characteristics
Type Frigate /destroyer
Displacement
Length 151.4 m (496 ft 9 in)[ 6]
Beam 21.4 m (70 ft 3 in)[ 8]
Propulsion
CODLOG configuration
1 × Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbine
4 × MTU Type 20V 4000 M53B high-speed diesel generators
2 × electric motors
Speed 27+ knots
Range 7,000 nmi (13,000 km; 8,100 mi) in electric motor drive[ 3]
Complement 180 personnel, with accommodation for 208
Sensors and processing systems
Electronic warfare & decoys Nulka decoy launchers
Armament
Aircraft carried
Aviation facilities
Notes
Flexible Mission Bay :
Rolls-Royce Mission Bay Handling System
2nd helicopter (MH-60R)
4 x 11m RHIB
10 x 20 foot containers
UAVs and UUVs [ 10]
The Hunter -class frigate is an under construction class of six heavy frigates for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) to replace the Anzac class .
The genesis of the Future Frigate Program came in 2009, when the Rudd government ’s Defence White Paper signalled Australia’s intent to "acquire a fleet of eight new Future Frigates, which will be larger than the Anzac -class vessels" with a focus on anti-submarine warfare.[ 11] With an initial tender expected in 2019–20, in 2014 the Abbott government announced that work had been brought forward, funding a preliminary design study focused on integrating a CEAFAR radar and Saab combat system on the hull of the Hobart -class destroyer.
Following a report by the RAND Corporation into options for Australia's naval shipbuilding industry, the Government announced an $89 billion naval shipbuilding plan. This plan brought the schedule of the Future Frigate Program forward by three years and announced a "continuous onshore build program to commence in 2020" in South Australia .[ 12] A competitive evaluation process was announced in April 2016, and a request for tender was released in March 2017 to three contenders: Navantia , Fincantieri , and BAE Systems as part of a competitive evaluation process.[ 13] The program is expected to cost AU$35 billion.
In June 2018, the BAE Systems Type 26 frigate was selected as the winner.[ 14] [ 15] [ 16] [ 17]
In June 2024, construction began at the Osborne Naval Shipyard and the first delivery is expected in 2034.
^ "Department of Defence's Procurement of Hunter Class Frigates" . Australian National Audit Office . 10 May 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2023 .
^ "Portfolio Budget Statements 2023-24 Budget Related Paper No. 1.4A Defence Portfolio" (PDF) . Australian Department of Defence. 9 May 2023. p. 136. Retrieved 11 May 2023 .
^ a b Cite error: The named reference :9
was invoked but never defined (see the help page ).
^ "Hunter Class FFG" .
^ ParlInfo - Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee : 02/06/2021 : Estimates : Defence Portfolio : Department of Defence
^ "Hunter Class Frigate Program – What We Do" . Retrieved 27 October 2023 .
^ Kerr, Julian (17 May 2017). "Anti-submarine future frigates to be armed with SM-2 missiles to blunt far-distant attacks" . The Australian . Retrieved 6 June 2017 .
^ "Adding firepower to the Type 26 Frigate" . www.navylookout.com . NavyLookout. Retrieved 21 February 2024 .
^ "Joint Media Release - Prime Minister, Minister for Defence and Minister for Defence Industry - New Approach to Naval Combat Systems" . Department of Defence . 3 October 2017. Retrieved 2 October 2017 .
^ Kerr, Julian (5 March 2019). "The Type 26 frigate mission bay. Part 2 – configuration and contents" . Save the Royal Navy . Retrieved 1 June 2018 .
^ 2009 Defence White Paper (PDF) . p. 71.
^ Andrews, Kevin; Abbott, Tony (4 August 2015). "The Government's plan for a strong and sustainable naval shipbuilding industry" . www.minister.defence.gov.au . Archived from the original on 20 September 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2017 .
^ Pyne, Christopher (31 March 2017). "$35 billion Future Frigate Tender" . www.minister.defence.gov.au . Retrieved 6 June 2017 .
^ Wroe, David (28 June 2018). "British frigate program to seed Australia's own warship industry, Turnbull says" . Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 28 June 2018 .
^ Symth, Jamie (28 June 2018). "BAE triumphs in £20bn Australia frigate contract" . Financial Times . Retrieved 28 June 2018 .
^ "The Hunter-Class-Defending Australia and securing our shipbuilding industry" . Prime Minister of Australia . 29 June 2018. Archived from the original on 11 July 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2018 .
^ Blenkin, Max; Ferran, Lee (16 May 2023). "Australian watchdog blasts military on new warship decision" . Breaking Defense . Retrieved 18 May 2023 .