Anti-submarine future frigates to be armed with SM-2 missiles to blunt far-distant attacks

The Australian ^ | May 17, 2017 | JULIAN KERR

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Although the nine future frigates are to be optimised for anti-submarine warfare, confirmation that their armament will include SM-2 missiles means they will also be providing a valuable contribution to the Royal Australian Navy’s task group protection.

The SM-2, along with the CEAFAR2 S/X/L band active phased- array radar systems under development by Canberra-based CEA, has been directed by the government to be essential rather than desirable for the $35 billion SEA 5000 Phase 1 purchasing that is expected to begin replacing the RAN’s eight Anzac-Class frigates from about 2027.

Equipping the ships of the Future Frigate program with the SM-2, which has a range of more than 160 kilometres, and the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile, will enable the ships to contribute to the longer-distance air defence of an RAN task group as well as to its inner layer of protection.

Commodore Rob Elliott, the Future Frigate program sponsor and the director-general surface combatants and aviation within the RAN’s Strategic Command, points out that of the three Hobart-class air warfare destroyers (AWDs) expected to be in service by 2021, it is possible that only one may be available for operations at any one time due to maintenance.

A frigate providing an anti-submarine screen ahead of a task group containing a high-value unit such as a 27,500 tonne, Canberra-Class Landing Helicopter Dock ship would require the SM-2 for its own protection as well as that of the task group.

Responses to a request for tender by the three short-listed SEA 5000 contenders — the Type 26 global combat ship proposed by BAE Systems, the Carlo Bergamini class offered by Fincantieri, and a Navantia-proposed variant of the F-100 design on which the AWD is based — are due later this year.

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[Oztrich Boy]

Interesting. It soothes one of my worries about size of the 3 ship Air Warfare Destroyer program. But if these ship are going to be 2d tier AntiAir it would imply something like 48 Mk 41 VLS cells. Fitting them into the British/Italian contenders would take some work. Navantia may now be favourite.

That said the ThyssenKrupp A400 looks a good fit. Wonder why it didn't make the cut.

http://navalinstitute.com.au/sea5000-cep-critical-capability-considerations-for-the-future-frigates/