General purpose frigate milestone reached
The Straits Times
The Australian Government has shortlisted Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) to progress designs for the country’s future general-purpose frigates. This program is a key component of the Government’s strategy to equip the Navy with a larger and more lethal surface combatant fleet, addressing Australia’s evolving strategic needs. In May, Defence invited five shipbuilders to propose designs based on platforms identified through an independent analysis of the Navy’s surface combatant fleet. Following rigorous evaluation, the Mogami and MEKO A-200 designs have been selected as the most likely to meet Australia’s capability requirements.
Defence will now collaborate with MHI, TKMS, and Australian industry partners to refine these designs. The Government has recognized the quality and sophistication of proposals submitted by the five shipbuilders, which reflect the advanced capabilities of the defence industries in Germany, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Spain. The Albanese Government is committing up to $55 billion over the next decade for naval capabilities, including $10 billion dedicated to the general-purpose frigate program. This initiative will more than double the size of the Navy’s surface combatant fleet compared to previous plans and will replace the ageing Anzac Class frigates.
The new frigates will be equipped for undersea warfare and local air defence, ensuring the security of vital maritime trade routes and Australia’s northern approaches. Initial construction of the first three ships will occur offshore, with subsequent builds shifting to the Henderson Defence Precinct in Western Australia. This transition is contingent on the successful consolidation of the precinct and represents a broader plan to invest tens of billions in defence infrastructure in the region over the next 20 years. This investment is expected to create approximately 10,000 high-skilled, well-paid local jobs.
The Government’s decision to progress with the Mogami and MEKO A-200 designs is underpinned by a comprehensive evaluation process conducted by Defence. The program aims to deliver Australia’s first general-purpose frigate within the current decade, ensuring a modern and capable Navy equipped to safeguard national interests.
