Type 26 frigate
History
Australia
NameFlinders
NamesakeMatthew Flinders
Ordered30 June 2018
BuilderBAE Systems Australia, Osborne
CostAU$3.9 billion
IdentificationPennant number:
StatusOrdered
General characteristics
TypeHunter-class frigate
Displacement8,800 t (8,700 long tons; 9,700 short tons) full load displacement
Length149.9 m (492 ft)
Beam20.8 m (68 ft)[3]
Propulsion
  • CODLOG configuration
    • 1 × Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbine
    • 4 × MTU Type 20V 4000 M53B high-speed diesel generators
    • 2 × electric motors
Speed27+ knots
Range7,000 nautical miles (13,000 km; 8,100 mi) in electric motor drive[1]
Complement180 personnel, with accommodation for 208
Sensors and
processing systems
Electronic warfare
& decoys		Nulka decoy launchers
Armament
Aircraft carried
Aviation facilities
Notes
  • Flexible Mission Bay:
    • Rolls-Royce Mission Bay Handling System
    • 2nd helicopter (MH-60R or MRH-90)
    • 4 x 11m RHIB
    • 10 x 20 foot containers
    • UAVs and UUVs[5]

HMAS Flinders (FFG) is the second ship of the Hunter-class frigate of the Royal Australian Navy.

Development and design

Main article: Hunter-class frigate

The Hunter-class frigate is a future class of frigates for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) to replace the Anzac-class. Construction is expected to begin in 2020, with the first of nine vessels to enter service in the late 2020s.[6] The Program is expected to cost AU$35 billion and a request for tender was released in March 2017 to three contenders: Navantia, Fincantieri, and BAE Systems as part of a competitive evaluation process.[7]

The Hunter-class frigate will be an Australian variation of the Type 26 class frigate that is to be operated by the Royal Navy from the mid-2020s. The class will have a 8,800-tonne (8,700-long-ton; 9,700-short-ton) full load displacement and will be approximately 150 metres (490 ft) in length. The vessel will be capable of sailing in excess of 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph) and will have a full complement of 180 crew.[8][1]

Construction and career

Flinders was ordered on 30 June 2018 and named after Captain Matthew Flinders. She will be built by BAE Systems Australia in Osborne.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Hunter Class FFG". Royal Australian Navy. n.d. Archived from the original on 19 January 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  2. ^ Kerr, Julian (17 May 2017). "Anti-submarine future frigates to be armed with SM-2 missiles to blunt far-distant attacks". The Australian. Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
  3. ^ "Hunter Class FFG". www.navy.gov.au. Royal Australian Navy. Archived from the original on 19 January 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  4. ^ "Joint Media Release - Prime Minister, Minister for Defence and Minister for Defence Industry - New Approach to Naval Combat Systems". Department of Defence. Department of Defence. 3 October 2017. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  5. ^ Kerr, Julian (5 March 2019). "The Type 26 frigate mission bay. Part 2 – configuration and contents". Save the Royal Navy. Archived from the original on 2019-03-22. Retrieved 2018-06-01.
  6. ^ 2016 Defence White Paper (PDF). p. 93. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-04-03. Retrieved 2020-12-10.
  7. ^ Pyne, Christopher (2017-03-31). "$35 billion Future Frigate Tender". www.minister.defence.gov.au. Archived from the original on 2017-04-03. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
  8. ^ Wroe, David (28 June 2018). "British frigate program to seed Australia's own warship industry, Turnbull says". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 2018-06-28. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
  9. ^ Kuper, Stephen (2018-06-28). "Here comes the Hunter: BAE awarded $35bn SEA 5000 Future Frigate contract". www.defenceconnect.com.au. Archived from the original on 2020-11-09. Retrieved 2020-12-10.
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