F-100 Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyer AWD
This project calls for three surface vessels to provide air defense for ships, land forces, coastal area infrastructure, and for self-protection against attacking missiles and aircraft. In 2002, after examining the physical infrastructure of Australian shipyards, the Naval Shipbuilding and Repair Sector Strategic Plan concluded that a future Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) would probably be in the order of 6,000-9,000 tons displacement and a length of 130m to 150m.
The Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) Program will deliver an affordable, effective, flexible and sustainable Air Warfare Destroyer capability for the security of Australia. The 2000 Defence White Paper stated the Australian Defence Force would replace the Navy's FFGs with a class of at least three air defence capable ships, the new Air Warfare Destroyers.
On June 20, 2007 the Federal Cabinet approved a $10 billion contract to build five warships - including three air-warfare destroyers - of Spanish design. Prime Minister John Howard and Defence Minister Brendan Nelson made the announcement. The remaining $8 billion will go towards building three air-warfare destroyers (AWDs), also of Spanish design, due for delivery in 2014, 2016 and 2017. The 6000 tonne vessels will be built by Adelaide-based ASC in partnership with US systems integrator, Raytheon, and Australia's Defence Materiel (Materiel) Organisation. The F100 destroyers were favoured over a competing and larger, more heavily armed US design. The F100 meets Australia's strategic needs. It has the capability that meets the requirements that Australia has for the AWDs. Mr Howard and his senior ministers preferred Navantia on price, design and delivery schedule.
The Air Warfare Destroyer Program will provide the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) with one of the world's most capable all purpose warships. In selecting the F100 as the baseline platform design and coupling it with the Aegis combat system, the Australian Government has ensured tomorrow's Navy has the best equipment to defend Australia and its national interests.
These Hobart Class AWDs will provide air defence for accompanying ships in addition to land forces and infrastructure in coastal areas, and for self-protection against missiles and aircraft. The Aegis Combat System incorporating the state-of-the-art phased array radar, AN/ SPY 1D(V), in combination with the SM-2 missile, will provide an advanced air defence system capable of engaging enemy aircraft and missiles at ranges in excess of 150km.
The AWDs will carry a helicopter for surveillance and response to support key warfare areas. The surface warfare function will include long range anti-ship missiles and a naval gun capable of firing extended range munitions in support of land forces. The Hobart Class will also conduct Undersea Warfare and be equipped with modern sonar systems, decoys, surface-launched torpedoes and an array of effective close-in defensive weapons. These capabilities ensure the AWDs have the layered defensive and offensive capability required to counter conventional and asymmetric threats.
The Hobart Class will be capable across the full spectrum of joint maritime operations, from area air defence and escort duties, right through to peacetime national tasking and diplomatic missions. The Royal Australian Navy will undergo a quantum leap in its air warfare capability when the Hobart Class enters service.
Since entering service with the Spanish Armada, the F100 surface combatants have worked with US forces in the Persian Gulf as the first foreign Aegis-equipped ship to be fully integrated into a US Navy Carrier Strike Group and F100s have successfully been deployed as the flagship of NATO's Maritime Group Standing Reaction Force.
The Hobart Class AWDs will be equipped with an Australianised Aegis combat system to ensure they possess the most up to date combat technologies available. These technologies ensure the Hobart Class meets the specific and demanding capability requirements of the Royal Australian Navy.
The Hobart Class combat system, with the Aegis system as the core is amongst the most advanced maritime air warfare capabilities available and ensures the Navy has unprecedented levels of interoperability with Australia's coalition partners and allies. When the AWDs enter service in the middle of the next decade, there will be around 100 Aegis equipped ships operating across the globe giving the Navy access to the updates offered by the US and other in-service navies.
In order to enhance the air defence capabilities of the AWDs, the Government will equip them with with the Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) long-range anti-aircraft missile. The SM-6 missile is the most advanced weapon of its type, with a range of more than 200 nautical miles (370 kilometres) and effectively extends the air defence protection offered by these advanced ships. As they enter service, the AWDs will be equipped with a sophisticated Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC), which enable each vessel to act as part of a wider 'grid' of sensor and weapon platforms that can share surveillance and targeting information. Defence will also investigate fitting CEC to the AEW&C aircraft in order to optimise the capability advantages offered by the SM-6 missile.
The Government will continue to monitor and assess its capability needs against strategic assessments. As a consequence, the Government will continue to assess the capability need for a fourth AWD in the future against further changes in the strategic assessment and, consistent with that assessment the most rational public investment in further defence platforms.
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