According to information published by the Australian Government on October 26, 2021, Australia’s defense industry will act as a "steward" for the Royal Australian Navy’s Hobart class destroyers under a new approach to sustainment that will optimize the destroyers’ capability and create hundreds of jobs in South Australia.
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Guided-missile destroyer HMAS Hobart (Picture source: Royal Australian Navy)
The Morrison Government will invest up to $5.1 billion for the upgrades at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia – creating 300 jobs in the State – as part of a major expansion of Australia’s naval capabilities announced on 16 September 2021.
The destroyers will be the first major platform to have a Capability Life Cycle Manager, a further step in the realization of the Future Maritime Sustainment Model under Plan Galileo – Defence’s new national, innovative approach to sustainment.
The Hobart class is a ship class of three air warfare destroyers (AWDs) built for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
Each destroyer will have a length overall of 147.2 metres (483 ft), a maximum beam of 18.6 metres (61 ft), and a draught of 5.17 metres (17.0 ft). At launch, the ships will have a full-load displacement of 6,250 tonnes (6,150 long tons; 6,890 short tons). The Hobarts have been designed to allow for upgrades and installation of new equipment, with a theoretical maximum displacement of 7,000 tonnes (6,900 long tons; 7,700 short tons).
The combined diesel or gas turbine (CODOG) propulsion arrangement consists of two General Electric Marine model 7LM2500-SA-MLG38 gas turbines, each generating 17,500 kilowatts (23,500 hp), and two Caterpillar Bravo 16 V Bravo diesel engines, each providing 5,650 kilowatts (7,580 hp). These drive two propeller shafts, fitted with Wärtsilä controllable pitch propellers.
The ships' maximum speed is over 28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph), with a range of over 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph).
