BAE Systems Maritime Australia is building the Hunter class frigates at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia and accelerating schedules and special production requirements have mobilised the company to distribute production to a number of external sites, including Henderson.
The Henderson shipyard has a long legacy in maritime defence programs supporting the Royal Australian Navy. For nearly 20 years, the workforce of BAE Systems Australia at Henderson has sustained the Anzac class frigate fleet. These vessels have been the Navy’s workhorses, and this work included two major fleet upgrades.
BAE Systems Maritime Australia’s HCFP Delivery Director – Acquisition Andy Coxall said the local workforce was selected for the mast prototyping project because of its expertise in advanced aluminium manufacturing techniques and building masts for the Anzac frigates.
“The prototyping project will transition into the construction of Ship 1’s mast this year. This will be followed by the masts for the second and third frigates,” Mr Coxall said.
The site is also manufacturing four ship units for the first-of-class frigate, NUSHIP Hunter. Inside the ship, these units will house crew accommodations, marine evacuation systems, medical spaces and a recreation room.
“The HCFP is at the heart of Australia’s Continuous Naval Shipbuilding and Sustainment enterprise and the work at Henderson reflects our commitment to that plan,” Mr Coxall said.
“The Henderson workforce brings a wealth of experience to the HCFP, and the business is providing training opportunities for individuals to develop new skills and further their careers within the defence industry.
“Having the HCFP work spread out across key shipbuilding sites, including Henderson and a number of trusted SME partners, enables us to maximise capability.”
Since 2023, the Henderson shipyard has undertaken design and prototyping work of the Hunter class frigate’s mast, which is designed to accommodate the CEAFAR phased array radar.
Supported by teams across Australia — including Melbourne, Adelaide and Cairns — this work involved creating a brand new state-of-the-art, from-the-ground-up design. The Australian designed mast is the most significant change, and most obvious from a physical appearance perspective, from the Type 26 frigate, the Hunter class’s reference ship.