Australia receives Tier-2 surface combatant proposals from Navantia-Austal-Civmech partnership
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| The scale models of the Tasman class corvette (foreground) and the ALPHA 5000 frigate (background) during Indo Pacific 2023. Photo c/o Tim Fish. |
Spanish shipbuilder Navantia has made its presence known at the ongoing Indo-Pacific 2023 International Maritime Defense Exposition n Sydney, Australia by presenting two options for the Royal Australian Navy’s anticipated requirement for a “Tier 2” surface combatant as part of proposals made in Australia’s Defence Strategic Review 2023.
The first proposal which Navantia named the Tasman-class corvette using the ALFA 3000 light frigate/corvette design as its base platform with a length of 109.6 meters, and beam of 15.35 meters and a displacement of 3,600 tonnes.
The scale model presented at Indo Pacific 2023 showed the corvette to have a CEAFAR 2L phase array radar system from Australia CEA Technologies, navigation and fire control radars, an electronic warfare suite, and a hull mounted sonar system. It is also believed that it will use the Saab 9LV combat management system.
It is armed with a 57mm naval gun, two 12.7mm heavy machine guns in remote-controlled weapon stations (RCWS), a Close-in Weapon System (CIWS), two 8-cell Mk. 41 Vertical Launch Systems (VLS) for short/medium range surface to air missiles, four quadruple anti-ship missile launchers believed to be for Kongsberg Naval Strike missiles, two triple lightweight torpedo launchers, and two soft-kill decoy launchers.
It also has two rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) and a helicopter deck and hangar for one Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk medium naval helicopter.
Alternatively, Navantia also featured a larger ship called the ALPHA 5000 light frigate design, with a length of 121 meters, a beam of 16 meters and a displacement of 4,550 tonnes.
The scale model at Indo Pacific 2023 shows it equipped with a CEAFAR phased array radar system, navigation and fire control radars, and an electronic warfare suite.
It has a 76mm naval gun, two RCWS for medium caliber guns, a CIWS, a total of four 8-cell VLS divided into two 8-cell VLS located at forward and midship, two quadruple anti-ship missile launchers, two triple lightweight torpedo launchers, and four soft kill decoy launchers.
It also has two RHIBs, and a helicopter deck and hangar for a medium naval helicopter.
Aside from these ship designs, Navantia has also partnered with Australian shipbuilder Austal and Civmec to build these ships in Henderson, Western Australia
So far, the Royal Australian Navy has not released any information on the specifications and quantity of Tier 2 surface combatants that it intends to acquire, and these proposals may change depending on what the requirements would look like.
The Australian Defence Strategic Review 2023 proposed for the review of the fleet structure of the Royal Australian Navy, giving priority to more firepower delivery capabilities for offensive and defensive needs in light of increased threat environment in the Indo Pacific region.
[2] Naval Today
[3] Navy Recognition
Reviewed by Asia Pacific Defense Journal
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November 09, 2023
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