Aussie Anti-Air Umbrella: The Hobart Class Ships
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DID’s FOCUS articles offer in-depth, updated looks at significant military programs of record. The Royal Australian Navy took a pair of giant steps in June 2007, when it selected winning designs for its keystone naval programs: Canberra Class LHD amphibious operations vessels, and Hobart Class “air warfare destroyers.” This DID’s FOCUS article offers in-depth research and coverage of the Hobart Class competition and program organization, along with the new “air warfare destroyer’s” capabilities, and associated contracts, and related developments.
Under the SEA 4000 Air Warfare Destroyer program, Australia plans to replace its retired air defense destroyers with a modern system that can provide significantly better protection from air attack, integrate with the US Navy and other Coalition partners, offer long-range air warfare defense for Royal Australian Navy task groups, and help provide a coordinated air picture for fighter and surveillance aircraft. Despite their name and focus, the ships are multi-role designs with a “sea control” mission that also includes advanced anti-submarine and surface warfare capabilities.
Spain’s Navantia made an A$ 11 billion clean sweep, winning both the A$ 3 billion Canberra Class LHD and the A$ 8 billion Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyer contracts. The new AWD ships were scheduled to begin entering service with the Royal Australian Navy in 2013, but that date has now slipped to 2014-2015. Recent updates involve a number of smaller contracts and progress reports, as well as the resolution of A$ 450 million worth of Australian shipbuilding contracts…
- SEA 4000: The Design Competition
- SEA 4000: The Program
- SEA 4000: Contracts & Key Events [updated]
- Appendix A: SEA 4000 Program Phase Organization
- Appendix B: Additional Readings & Sources
Subscribe and gain immediate access to DII's coverage of the multi-billion dollar Australian SEA 4000 Air Warfare Destroyer program, with information about:
- The 'Australianized' F100 AEGIS frigate: around 5,800t, with 48 vertical launch missile cells, a Phalanx defense weapon, an integral helicopter hangar, and more
- Economic benefits: "The AWD Programme will eventually employ around 3,000 Australians in a variety of engineering and related fields working for a range of companies and suppliers throughout Australia" Details of awards to contractors Navantia, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon Systems, Northrop Grumman, and others.
- Components of a "design-driven" including the goal to design to a budget, desire to meet user expectations, and long-term life support considerations, among other attributes of the plan
- 9 photos and illustrations including Spain's design winner - and its competition.
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