The Australian Navy’s fleet of Future Frigates are to be equipped with the Aegis combat systems, the Australian government announced on October 3.
The Aegis will be coupled with a tactical interface developed by SAAB Australia.
The government said this decision is aimed at maximizing the frigate’s air warfare capabilities.
“The Future Frigates will be operating in a complex and growing threat environment. By bringing together the proven Aegis system, with a cutting edge Australian tactical interface developed by SAAB Australia, our Future Frigates will have the best capability to defeat future threats above and below the surface, while also ensuring we maintain sovereign control of key technologies, such as the Australian designed and built CEA phased array radar,” the government said.
Unlike the government’s earlier individual tendering processes that cost more funds and time, a revised approach mandates that where the high-end warfighting capabilities of the Aegis system are not required, a SAAB Australia developed combat management system will be used on all of Australia’s future ship projects.
This includes mandating a SAAB Australia combat management system on the upcoming Offshore Patrol Vessels, which will be built in Australia from 2018, and an Australian tactical interface developed by SAAB Australia for the Hobart-class air warfare destroyers when their Aegis combat management system is upgraded in the future, consistent with the 2016 Defence White Paper.