The corvette, dubbed “Tasman-class” is aiming for the Tier 2-requirement formulated to supplement the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) surface fleet with an affordable design still featuring substantial firepower. A larger proposal named “Alpha 5000 Combatant” offers frigate-sized capacity in armament and sensor capability. The third design, called “Flight III Combatant” aims to fill the perceived need for a Tier 1-design with substantial missile capacity and reserves to integrate future technologies including laser weapons and drones.
In a related announcement Navantia also revealed their intention to propose building six or more Tasman-class corvettes in cooperation with Austal for the RAN’s “urgent need for increased strike capability”. According to a Navantia-spokesperson both companies started collaborating on a detailed proposal in November 2022, in anticipation of the Defence Strategic Review released in April 2023. The Tasman-class corvette represents the final configuration now proposed for the RAN Tier 2-requirement and would be built at Austal’s shipyard in Henderson, Western Australia. Underscoring this decision, Austal CEO Paddy Gregg, Navantia Australia Managing Director Israel Lozano and Jim Fitzgerald, Executive Chairman of Henderson-based construction and engineering company Civmec also signed a cooperation agreement at the Navantia-booth on Tuesday.
Tasman-class corvette
The Tasman-class corvette is a combatant measuring 109.6 metres in length, 15.35 metres beam and a displacement up to 3,600 tons depending on exact configuration. According to Navantia it is an Australianised version of the Alpha 3000-design built for Saudi-Arabia as the Avante-class, and as such promoted as a proven design. As armament and defensive equipment suite the ship features 16 configurable VLS-cells, four quadruple antiship-missile-launchers in slanted racks, a main gun in the 57 mm-category, two triple torpedo launchers, a lighter 30 mm or less Close In Weapon System (CIWS), two remote weapon stations (RWS) accommodating heavy machine guns, and dual decoy launchers. The corvette carries a version of CEA’s CEAFAR phased array radar and SEAMOUNT missile illuminator system. Finally the ship offers two RHIBs and features a hangar and helipad for a Seahawk-class helicopter, in addition to a mission bay below the landing pad accommodation RHIBs or USVs.
Alpha 5000 Combatant
The larger Alpha 5000 Combatant is a frigate-sized concept coming in at 4,550 tons displacement., a length of 121 metres and beam of 16 metres. It distinguishes itself from the Tasman-class corvette by featuring an additional 16 VLS-cells amidships for a total count of 32 cells, reducing the antiship-missile count to 8 instead. Alpha 5000 also maintains the CIWS and torpedo launchers, but features a larger main gun of 76 mm calibre, and a more capable configuration of CEAFAR. Similar to the Tasman-class the frigate-design also includes a mission bay below the helicopter pad. Alpha 5000 can accommodate flexible mission-configurations including for ASW and mine-warfare, but also considering humanitarian roles.
Flight III Destroyer
The final proposal is aimed at the RAN-requirement for a large displacement combatant with deep magazine capacity, covering air warfare and strike-requirements dubbed “Flight III Destroyer”. The name is a reference to evolving the original Hobart-class design and following a separate design dubbed “Flight II”, effectively an Australianised F110 as built for the Spanish Navy, this concept proposes an effectively cruiser-sized vessel of 10,200 tons displacement at 165 metres length and a beam of 21 metres. Primary armament includes 128 VLS cells in two 64 cell-segments on the bow and amidships. As such it is a fully new design despite the “Flight”-reference. The ship also features a 127 mm-main gun and two gun-based CIWS of the Phalanx-type. Aside from the substantial missile armament a notable feature is a propulsion of the CODAG (combined diesel and gas turbine) electric-variety also supporting future integration of directed energy weapons. CEAFAR is featured again as radar suite.
Distinct characteristics are “drone swarm” and “anti drone swarm”-launchers port and starboard of the helicopter landing pad complementing a “UUV zone” below the helo pad. Flight deck and hangar support a Seahawk-class helicopter similar to the other two Navantia-proposals.
A decision by the Australian government following the recommendations of the Surface Combatant Review regarding the future force mix for RAN will be revealed in 2024.
