An artist’s impression of the Hunter-class frigate, modelled on BAE Systems’ Type 26 Global Combat Ship. Credit: Royal Australian Navy via Naval Technology.

Rohde & Schwarz have won a contract with the Royal Australian Navy to supply communications technology for the Hunter-class frigates, the manufacturer announced on 29 August 2024, fitting the NAVICS system to three vessels as part of a contract with BAE Systems Maritime Australia (BAESMA) worth in excess of A$300m ($204m).

The NAVICS system is intended to provide integrated internal and external communications and to process classified information in a multi-level security environment.

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“This confirmation of Rohde & Schwarz Australia as Communications System Integrator is testament to the dedication and hard work of our project team since we first began work to provide early engineering services for the design and manufacture of the ICS more than five years ago,” said Rohde & Schwarz Australia managing director Gareth Evans.

The Hunter-class frigates are a new class of multi-mission frigates being developed by BAE Systems Australia for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) under the Hunter class frigate programme, which is the country’s biggest surface ship project.

Designed to perform a range of missions, the frigates will be primarily used for anti-submarine warfare (ASW), along with air defence, anti-surface warfare (ASuW), surveillance and intelligence, interdiction, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.

Craig Lockhart, managing director of BAESMA welcomed the contract with Rohde & Schwarz Australia to receive the NAVICS system: “We are pleased to work alongside the Rohde & Schwarz team and our industry partners in delivering the most capable anti-submarine warfare in service of the Royal Australian Navy.”

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Wolfgang Marchl, Rohde & Schwarz vice president for R&D Technology Systems, said that the work on the Hunter programme was building on  close collaboration between Rohde & Schwarz headquarters and BAE’s UK operation that was established for development of the Type 26 communications solution. “Now, with Rohde & Schwarz Australia also incorporated into this collaboration, we are well placed not only to deliver on this project but also for any future large naval programs that may be shared between the UK and Australia.”