BAE Systems Australia laid the keel for the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) first Hunter-class frigate-NUSHIP Hunter. The event at Osborne Naval Shipyard saw Australia’s Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy, Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Matthew Buckley lay a coin under two ship blocks which form part of the keel of the frigate. The two blocks are among the first major sections to form part of NUSHIP Hunter and soon to be joined by other blocks to form the base of the ship as construction continues at pace.
Derived from the British Type 26 Global Combat Ship design, the Hunter-class incorporates an Australian Baseline 9 Combat System with Australian interface as well as additional combat capabilities such as CEAFAR2 phased-array radar, S2150 hull mounted sonar, S2087 towed array and variable depth sonar, electro-optical sensors, electronic warfare (EW) systems. Furthermore, the class is armed with MU90 Impact anti-submarine torpedoes, Mk45 Mod 4A 5” gun, Mk41 Vertical Launch System (VLS), SM2 surface-to-air missiles (SAM) & RIM-162 Evolved SeaSparrow Missiles (ESSM), Nulka active missile decoy system, Surface Ships Torpedo Defence (SSTD) system. On top of that, the flight deck can accommodate a MH-60R Seahawk helicopter and even a CH-47 Chinook helicopter.
“The laying of the keel for the first Hunter-class frigate demonstrates tangible progress in the delivery of a more capable, lethal and resilient surface combatant fleet for Australia,” deputy prime minister and defence minister Richard Marles said. The Australian government confirmed that construction of 20 of 22 blocks are already in progress, with delivery of the first ship expected in the early 2030s. According to reports, the lead vessel–future HMAS Hunter will be followed by the future HMAS Flinders, and HMAS Tasman.
BAE Systems Australia-Surface Ships managing director David Shepherd said: “Today’s ceremony is the culmination of years of hard work by our people and partners in the pursuit of delivering a world-leading, warship to the RAN. The Hunter class will form the backbone of the RAN’s fleet for decades to come, with its unique capabilities, weapons, sensors and modular mission bay enabling it to undertake a wide range of missions in addition to hunting submarines. While today we have physically laid the keel of the first Hunter class frigate, the Hunter program itself has laid the foundations of a Continuous Naval Shipbuilding & Sustainment capability in Australia.”–-shp/adj/dl (Pix:BAE)
