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TABLE 1: Ship Characteristics The USN’s capability requirements for the FFG-62 are similar to Australia’s SEA 5000: the ship is to be a multi-mission combatant capable of conducting anti-submarine warfare, anti-air warfare, anti-surface warfare and electromagnetic warfare, capable of operating in both blue water and littoral areas, and capable of operating either independently or as part of larger Navy formations. Like the Hunter-class, the FFG-62 will have 32 Mark 41 VLS tubes. The FFG-62 will have an estimated full-load displacement of around 6,700 tons.*©

Table 1 Ship Characteristics The USN’s capability requirements for the FFG-62 are similar to Australia’s SEA 5000: the ship is to be a multi-mission combatant capable of conducting anti-submarine warfare, anti-air warfare, anti-surface warfare and electromagnetic warfare, capable of operating in both blue water and littoral areas, and capable of operating either independently or as part of larger Navy formations. Like the Hunter-class, the FFG-62 will have 32 Mark 41 VLS tubes. The FFG-62 will have an estimated full-load displacement of around 6,700 tons.*©

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Craig Lockhart, managing director of BAE subsidiary ASC Shipbuilding, stressed in 2020 that they are “currently going through the normal naval design process” so as “to design a ship that meets Australia’s capability and performance requirements” and “our team is right in the middle of a normal naval ship design process for Hunter.”” On 3 July 2020 Lockhart told Jane’s “ASC Shipbuilding has embarked on a design process, using the United Kingdom’s Type 26 Global Combat Ship as a reference design, to deliver a very specific capability for the RAN. While there are similarities, Australia has not purchased the Type 26 frigates. Rather, Australia’s Hunter class will be a very different ship. ..”°
Craig Lockhart, managing director of BAE subsidiary ASC Shipbuilding, stressed in 2020 that they are “currently going through the normal naval design process” so as “to design a ship that meets Australia’s capability and performance requirements” and “our team is right in the middle of a normal naval ship design process for Hunter.”” On 3 July 2020 Lockhart told Jane’s “ASC Shipbuilding has embarked on a design process, using the United Kingdom’s Type 26 Global Combat Ship as a reference design, to deliver a very specific capability for the RAN. While there are similarities, Australia has not purchased the Type 26 frigates. Rather, Australia’s Hunter class will be a very different ship. ..”°
Naval ship benchmarking is very difficult. n contrast to SEA 5000, the USN avoided developing a completely new design, and so the FFG-62 will be a modified version of an existing ship design — namely Fincantieri’s FREMM (Fregata Europea Multi-Missione) frigate, a ship hat has been built for the Italian and French navies. In his way, the USN intended to reduce design time, design cost, and cost, schedule and technical risk. The USN envisages developing no new technologies or systems for he FFG-62 — instead it will use US systems and technologies hat already exist.
Naval ship benchmarking is very difficult. n contrast to SEA 5000, the USN avoided developing a completely new design, and so the FFG-62 will be a modified version of an existing ship design — namely Fincantieri’s FREMM (Fregata Europea Multi-Missione) frigate, a ship hat has been built for the Italian and French navies. In his way, the USN intended to reduce design time, design cost, and cost, schedule and technical risk. The USN envisages developing no new technologies or systems for he FFG-62 — instead it will use US systems and technologies hat already exist.
The Department of Defence advised Senate Estimates on 26 October: “We have estimated the cost per tonnage and it is substantially less than the air warfare destroyer per tonnage in terms of cost.”*> The Air Warfare Destroyers were the most expensive destroyers ever built, with a cost per ton of A$ 365,000 (i.e. A$ 9.1 billion for three ships).°° In September 2020 Defence advised the Senate Economics Reference Committee that the cost per ton for the first three frigates would be A$ 257,000.°” Why is the Hunter class significantly more expensive when compared to the cost of acquisition for the Royal Navy and USN?
The Department of Defence advised Senate Estimates on 26 October: “We have estimated the cost per tonnage and it is substantially less than the air warfare destroyer per tonnage in terms of cost.”*> The Air Warfare Destroyers were the most expensive destroyers ever built, with a cost per ton of A$ 365,000 (i.e. A$ 9.1 billion for three ships).°° In September 2020 Defence advised the Senate Economics Reference Committee that the cost per ton for the first three frigates would be A$ 257,000.°” Why is the Hunter class significantly more expensive when compared to the cost of acquisition for the Royal Navy and USN?
It seems that Defence has surrendered much of these productivity benefits so as establish a slow rate of shipbuilding.
It seems that Defence has surrendered much of these productivity benefits so as establish a slow rate of shipbuilding.
While the Strategic Update 2020 highlights Australia’s rapidly deteriorating strategic environment, SE. 5000 is delivering capability more slowly at greater cost. At a cost of A$ 45.6 billion, the last Hunter class frigate is scheduled to be delivered in Q3 20244. Isn’t Australia’s requirement for the Hunter class more urgent than SEA 5000 contemplates?
While the Strategic Update 2020 highlights Australia’s rapidly deteriorating strategic environment, SE. 5000 is delivering capability more slowly at greater cost. At a cost of A$ 45.6 billion, the last Hunter class frigate is scheduled to be delivered in Q3 20244. Isn’t Australia’s requirement for the Hunter class more urgent than SEA 5000 contemplates?
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Naval EngineeringNaval WarfareNational Security and DefenceDefence and Strategic StudiesDefense and Strategic StudiesRoyal Australian Navy
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