The keel for the Royal Australian Navy’s first planned Hunter-class frigate, NUSHIP Hunter, has been laid at Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia.
The ceremony, a longstanding naval tradition, brought together BAE Systems Australia’s shipbuilders and senior officials, including Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy and Chief of Navy vice admiral Matthew Buckley.
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During the ceremony, a commemorative coin was positioned under two major hull sections as they were joined to form part of the ship’s keel.
According to BAE Systems Maritime Australia, which is delivering the programme, these blocks are the initial elements that will be integrated with other sections already under construction to complete the base of the vessel.
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 Royal Australian Navy.”
The Hunter-class frigates, based on BAE Systems’ Type 26 design, are intended to enhance the Royal Australian Navy’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities and can also be utilised for air defence, surface warfare, surveillance and intelligence, interdiction, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.
Measuring 151.4 metres (m) in length with a beam of 20.8m, the vessel has a lightship displacement of approximately 8,200 tonnes.
Propulsion is delivered via a Combined Diesel Electric or Gas (CODLOG) system, supporting a top speed of more than 27 knots.
The ship has an operational range of up to 7,000 nautical miles when operating on electric motor drive.
The Hunter class vessels will feature Australian-developed radar technology from CEA Technologies and the US Navy’s Aegis combat management system, locally integrated by Saab Australia. The ships are also designed to accommodate the MH-60R Seahawk Romeo helicopter.
In addition to its defensive capabilities, the vessel is expected to support Australia’s industrial base.
The programme directly supports over 2,500 jobs, most of which are located in South Australia. A further 5,000 jobs across Australian industry are sustained through the project’s supply chain.
Pat Conroy said: “This Hunter class frigate program is already supporting thousands of high-skilled and well-paid jobs. So, this is a landmark moment that demonstrates Australia already has the skilled workforce needed to undertake complex projects like this.”
Australia initially planned to build nine vessels but was later reduced to six.
The initial three Hunter-class ships will be named HMAS Hunter, HMAS Flinders (II), and HMAS Tasman.
The government has confirmed that construction of 20 of the ship’s 22 blocks is already in progress and expects the first ship to be delivered in the early 2030s.
This latest milestone in the Hunter programme arrives as Australia continues to expand its defence investment.
According to a recent GlobalData report, the nation’s defence budget is forecast to grow at an annual average rate of 7.1% between 2026 and 2031, reaching $65.6bn by the end of the forecast period, with $47.9bn allocated in 2026.
