The Australian government has unveiled a major $11.1 billion (US$7.2 billion) upgrade of the Royal Australian Navy, including more than doubling the navy’s warship fleet.
The navy fleet will increase from 11 to 26 vessels by the late 2040’s under a plan that will equip Australia’s defence amid rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles told reporters in Sydney the Royal Australian Navy’s warships would be upgraded to being the “largest fleet since the end of the second world war.”
The fleet will include 11 new general purpose frigates and six new large “optionally” crewed surface vessels, along with six hunter class frigates and three upgraded Hobart class air warfare destroyers.
“At the heart of that, we will be building six hunter class frigates at the Osborne navy shipyard in Adelaide. This will see the first of those ships delivered in 2034, which is the current timeframe.
“We are also announcing today, that we will procure a new general purpose frigate, of which we procure 11. And this will be a new class of ship for the Royal Australian Navy.”
The six remaining Anzac class frigates with the two oldest ships will be decommissioned in line with their planned service life.
The announcement follows the government carefully considering recommendations from an independent analysis of the surface combatant fleet that was brought about in response to the Defence Strategic Review.
This review noted the current surface combatant fleet was the oldest fleet the Navy has operated in its history, and pushed for immediate action to improve Navy’s air defence and long-range strike, presence, and anti-submarine warfare capabilities.
The Australian government explained that the nation’s strategic circumstances now required “larger and more lethal” surface combatant fleet together with a conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine fleet.
It has also adopted the review’s recommendations to have 25 minor war vessels, which will contribute to civil maritime security operations, including six offshore patrol vessels.
Australia Relies on a Strong Navy: Chief
Chief of the Navy, Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, said a strong Australia relied on a strong navy to conduct diplomacy in the region, deter adversaries, and defend national interests.“The size, lethality, and capabilities of the future surface combatant fleet ensures that our Navy is equipped to meet the evolving strategic challenges of our region,” Mr. Hammond said.
Commenting further on the announcement, Mr. Marles said, “The Royal Australian Navy must be able to ensure the safety and security of our sea lines of communication and trade routes, as they are fundamental to our way of life and our prosperity.”
“The enhanced lethality surface combatant fleet will ensure the Navy is optimised for operations in our current and future environment, underpinned by the meticulous assessment conducted by the Independent Analysis Team.
“Australia’s modern society and economy rely on access to the high seas: trade routes for our imports and exports, and the submarine cables for the data which enables our connection to the international economy.”
Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said the “significant advancement” in navy capability required a strong, sovereign defence industry.
“This plan ensures Navy’s future fleet can meet our strategic circumstances by delivering a larger and more lethal fleet sooner, and secures the future of naval shipbuilding in Australia, supporting 3,700 direct jobs over the next decade and thousands of indirect jobs for decades to come,” he said.
The Hunter class frigates will be built at the Osborne shipyard in South Australia, and Hobart destroyers will also be upgraded at this location with the latest U.S. Navy Aegis combat system.
Eight new general purpose frigates will be built at the Henderson precinct in Western Australia, amid consolidation of the location in Western Australia.
The government said the design of Navy’s future fleet will provide an ongoing pipeline of work to the 2040s and beyond.
“Since last year, for example, with Defence, Richard Marles has not been able to secure any new money for the Defence Force. We have a deferral of tough decisions,” he said.
“There’s still no defence strategy for this country, which is the most important thing and anchors all your decisions, your budgetary expenditure, the capabilities that you acquire, the amount of people that you put against different capabilities. We still don’t have a Defence Strategy, and we still don’t have a decision—after five months from the Deputy Prime Minister receiving the brief, we still don’t have a decision on the Surface Fleet Review, and we now have a recruitment and retention crisis in the [Australian Defence Force]. And that’s weakness,” he said on Feb. 19.
