UK-based defence firm Babcock pitches Arrowhead frigates build to keep Aussie ship project alive

Major defence company Babcock believes it has a solution that will fill both a capability gap and keep the nation’s hopes for a continuous shipbuilding program alive.

• ‘No excuses to cut’ $45bn Adelaide frigate build

Defence company Babcock will pitch its Arrowhead frigate platform into an expected restructure of Australia’s naval shipbuilding program, promising to fill both a capability gap and keep the nation’s hopes for a continuous shipbuilding program alive.

Fears have been mounting this week that the $45bn Hunter Class frigate program will be vastly scaled back, from the promised nine ships to potentially as few as three.

This would place the prospect of a continuous shipbuilding program, continuing on from Hunter to the AUKUS nuclear submarine program which will start beyond 2030, into jeopardy, unless an interim build program is selected by the government.

Federal Defence Minister Richard Marles is expected in coming weeks to make public the government’s response to the surface fleet review, which he received in September.

Meanwhile a decision on the future of the BAE Systems Hunter-class program, already well advanced at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia, is expected to go to federal cabinet’s expenditure review committee by the end of March.

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas travelled to Canberra earlier this week to seek assurances from Mr Marles and Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy over the future of the Hunter Class program.

Later in the week, responding to questions in state parliament, Mr Malinauskas attempted to shift the blame for the possible downsizing of the Hunter program on to the former Liberal federal government, saying while they had released a policy for nine ships, “there were zero ships” in the “funding profile”.

Babcock employee Stephanie Wallace. Picture: Supplied

“The federal government now has to make sure that if we are to build the Hunter-class in South Australia, we don’t just announce a number, we actually announce the extraordinary volume of dollars that is required to actually build them,” he told parliament.

“We do not believe that the federal government can honour its commitment to continuous shipbuilding in South Australia without it being Hunter, because if they don’t deliver Hunter, then there is no continuous shipbuilding.”

Babcock says Arrowhead 140 frigates no problem in Australia

Babcock believes it can supply a solution to this problem, and depending on the outcome of the surface fleet review, will be arguing it can build its Arrowhead 140 frigates in Australia, in a timely and cost-effective fashion.

The company is currently contracted to build five Arrowheads for the UK government at its Rosyth shipyard near Edinburgh in Scotland, with the program expected to put a ship on the water later this year, just five years after the contract was awarded.

Babcock Australasia chief executive Andrew Cridland said Arrowhead could deliver “a truly sovereign solution’’.

“An Australian Arrowhead would be built in-country, providing a significant boost for jobs, industry and the economy and playing a key role in Australia’s continuous shipbuilding agenda,’’ he said.

“Capable of operating with a core crew of just over 100 people, our platform allows the Royal Australian Navy to deploy more capability, with a significantly smaller workforce.

“Backed by Babcock’s established history of designing, building and sustaining warships, the frigate build can be delivered using our Arrowyard concept, which can be deployed anywhere in the world, delivering naval build infrastructure, an industry-ready workforce and an enduring support capability.’’

Sean Donaldson, managing director of Babcock’s Rosyth site, where it directly employs about 1250 people on the Arrowhead program, said the company had gone from a standing start when the contract was awarded in 2019 to cutting steel by 2021.

As well as building five frigates for the UK, Babcock is also working with Poland on using the Arrowhead platform for its frigate program.

Mr Donaldson said the Arrowhead program was modular and adaptable, meaning there was flexibility in capability.

“I think that’s why we’ve had success with other international navies because it can be adapted for their role,’’ he said.

“We’ve spent a lot of time bringing it up to the NATO standards. What we’ve created in terms of the 3D model, purchasing information, production information, all that’s transferable.’’

Mr Donaldson said the lessons learned building out the shipyard and the first of the Arrowheads for the British navy would provide the ability to deliver a fast-start on an Australian build.

“You’re not stepping across and starting from zero. You’re stepping across from all the knowledge that’s already there you then have to draw upon,’’ Mr Donaldson said.

At just more than 105 crew, the Arrowhead also provides operational benefits over the Hunter class frigates, which are expected to have a crew of 183.

Babcock’s options for an Australian frigate build would likely be limited to the shipyards in South Australia or Western Australia, with the company not expressing a preference at this stage.

The surface fleet review was triggered by the Defence Strategic Review, made public in April last year, which recommended a new analysis of Australia’s naval fleet capability, in light of the decision to move to the AUKUS nuclear submarine platform and changed strategic considerations.

The review said the Australian fleet “should consist of Tier 1 and Tier 2 surface combatants in order to provide for increased strike, air defence, presence operations and anti-submarine warfare’’.

“Enhancing Navy’s capability in long-range strike (maritime and land), air defence and anti-submarine warfare requires the acquisition of a contemporary optimal mix of Tier 1 and Tier 2 surface combatants, consistent with a strategy of a larger number of smaller surface vessels.’’

Other options apart from considering another frigate design could include building more air warfare destroyers or corvettes.

Babcock currently employs about 2000 people in Australia.

* The author travelled to the Rosyth shipyard in Scotland as a guest of Babcock.

Originally published as UK-based defence firm Babcock pitches Arrowhead frigates build to keep Aussie ship project alive