Hunter-class frigate program update with BAE Systems

Andrew Coxall, Production Lead at BAE Systems Australia, shares an update on the Hunter-class / SEA 5000 frigate program which calls for the delivery of 6 anti-submarine warfare frigates to the Royal Australian Navy.

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The new Hunter-class frigate scale model on display on BAE Systems stand at Indo Pacific 2025 showed the final configuration of the ship, in particular the final shape of the mast with the CEA radar arrays.

The Hunter Class frigate, which is a modified version of BAE System’s Type 26 frigate, will be one of the most advanced anti-submarine warships in the world. The 6 Hunter Class frigates will be built in Australia by ASC Shipbuilding (now known as BAE Systems Maritime Australia, a subsidiary of BAE Systems Australia Ltd) at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia.

The Hunter Class frigates will provide the Australian Defence Force with high levels of lethality and deterrence that major surface combatants need in periods of global uncertainty. They will have the capability to conduct a variety of missions with sufficient range and endurance to operate effectively throughout the region. The frigates will also have the flexibility to support non-warfare roles such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

Incorporating the leading edge Australian-developed CEA Phased-Array Radar and the US Navy’s Aegis combat management system, with an Australian interface developed by Saab Australia, and modified to operate the MH-60R Seahawk Romeo helicopter, the Hunter Class will be one of the most capable warships in the world.

The first 3 ships of the Hunter Class will proudly carry the names of 3 major Australian regions, HMAS Hunter, HMAS Flinders (II) and HMAS Tasman. The class name was specifically chosen for the alternate interpretation of a ‘hunter’ personifying the role of the frigates as a submarine hunter, with the term embodying the pursuit of prey.

The Hunter Class will begin entering service in the early 2030s.

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