Feature 5 | Royal austRalian navy
Australia steers steady course to fleet
modernisation
While the recent Defence White Paper set out an ambitious long-term force
development plan for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), the service already
has a number of programmes in train to improve its surface combatant,
submarine and amphibious capabilities.
a phased modernisation programme for the Ran’s Collins class submarines is under way, as are studies into their successor.
T
he keystone capital equipment The Hobart class design is an support of the build programme includes
project for the RAN’s surface ‘Australianised’ variant of the Spanish the provision of a new heavy-lift crane,
combatant force is the A$8 billion Navy’s F100 frigate (F105 forms the with a maximum capacity of 900tonnes,
(US$6.8 billion) acquisition of three design baseline). Navantia, responsible which will be used to lift and manoeuvre
Hobart-class Air Warfare Destroyers for the platform system design, is blocks weighing up to 250tonnes each.
(AWDs) under Project SEA 4000. The contracted to the Commonwealth and is While ASC will build about 30% of the
three ships, to be named HMAS Hobart, working with the alliance participants. blocks (27 by number) for the programme
HMAS Brisbane and HMAS Sydney, are Designed to provide for ships in consort, in South Australia, the remaining 70%
scheduled for delivery from late 2014. together with self-protection against (66 blocks all told) will be built elsewhere
In April 2005, the Australian government missiles and aircraft, the AWD combat in Australia by BAE Systems Australia
selected Raytheon Australia Pty Ltd as system is based around the Aegis Combat Defence in Williamstown, Victoria, and
the Combat System Systems Engineer, System and its AN/SPY 1D(V) radar. The FORGACS group in Newcastle, New
and in May 2005 selected ASC AWD Aegis suite is being supplied to the AWD South Wales. When completed the blocks
Shipbuilder Pty Ltd as the shipbuilder. The programme under a separate Foreign will be transported by ship or barge to the
Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO), Military Sales case. ASC facility where the block erection and
ASC and Raytheon Australia are working ASC will assemble the three Hobart class integration will occur. Fabrication of the
collectively as the AWD Alliance to deliver ships at its shipyard in Osborne, South first ship is expected to begin later this year
the Hobart class to the RAN. Australia. Work to develop the facility in with final deliveries of blocks for the third
28 Warship Technology October 2009
p28-33_WT RAN
OCT09.indd 28 17/09/2009 16:59:00
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