Australia holds keel-laying ceremony for its first Hunter-class frigate

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Australia’s Hunter-class frigate programme reaches keel-laying milestone

In an official statement published through its channels, the Royal Australian Navy announced that the keel-laying ceremony for its first Hunter-class frigate has taken place. The event represents a major milestone in establishing a fleet of six vessels. It was held at the Osborne shipyard in South Australia, operated by BAE Systems, where a significant share of the programme’s 2,500 direct jobs is based.

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Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy commented: “The Hunter class frigate program is a fundamental part of the Albanese Government’s plan to give the Navy the capabilities it needs to contribute to Australia’s security. It is also about supporting continuous naval shipbuilding and contributing to a secure, Australian-made future. By building the Hunter frigates, we are reinforcing South Australia’s role as the nation’s complex shipbuilding hub and supporting skilled Australian jobs throughout the national supply chain.”

Construction and design of the Hunter-class frigates

Providing further details, the Australian Government stated that 20 of the 22 blocks that will make up the first Hunter-class frigate are already under construction. Should progress continue favourably, the Royal Australian Navy could receive the ship in the early years of the next decade. The vessel’s design is based on BAE Systems’ Type 26 frigates, which will enter service with the Royal Navy, while also incorporating radar technologies developed by local industry and American combat systems.

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From a technical standpoint, each new Hunter-class frigate will displace 8,800 tonnes and measure around 150 metres in length. The ships are expected to have a crew of 180 personnel, reach speeds of up to 27 knots, and carry BAE Systems’ Mk.45 model as their main gun. In addition, to enhance their principal anti-submarine warfare role, the vessels will have sufficient space to embark an MH-60R Seahawk helicopter.

Costs, fleet reduction and Mogami Improved frigates

Despite the design’s strengths, it should also be noted that the programme has been underway for several years, since 2016, and has encountered a range of challenges for the Royal Australian Navy. In particular, the cost of delivering it rose from the originally projected US$30 billion to US$45 billion, a factor that forced Canberra to cut the number of ships to be acquired from nine to six.

Finally, while the Royal Australian Navy awaits the arrival of its first Hunter-class frigate, progress has also been made in acquiring new Japanese-built Mogami Improved-class frigates to complement them in the future. This model prevailed over the MEKO A-200 proposal put forward by Germany. As part of this wide-ranging modernisation plan, Canberra has already agreed to purchase the first three vessels, while long-term projections point to an intention to establish a fleet of eleven.

Featured image: BAE Systems