Australia’s Canberra Class LHDs
Apr 03, 2013 15:42 UTC by Defense Industry Daily staff
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March 28/13: ESM. ITT Exelis announces a $102 million contract to provide their ES-3701 Electronic Support Measures (ESM) suite for Australia’s 6 upgraded ANZAC frigates and 2 Canberra class LHD ships. Work will be performed by the Exelis Electronic Systems, radar, reconnaissance and undersea systems business area in Morgan Hill, CA.
ESM systems track enemy radio frequency emissions, such as an anti-ship missile with its radar on, back to their source. ITT’s ES-3701 has also been picked for Australia’s forthcoming Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyers, so the new award will give a common ESW suite aboard their future fleet of combat ships.
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In May of 2006 the Royal Australian Navy announced its decision to expand its naval expeditionary capabilities. HMAS Manoora and Kanimbla would be replaced with substantially larger and more capable modern designs, featuring strong air support. Navantia and Tenix offered a 27,000t Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) design that resembled the Strategic Projection Ship (Buque de Proyeccion Estrategica) under construction for the Spanish Navy. The DCNS-Thales Australia team, meanwhile, proposed a variation of the 21,300t Mistral Class that is serving successfully with the French Navy.
Navantia’s larger design eventually won, giving the Spanish firm an A$11 billion clean sweep of Australia’s “Air Warfare Destroyer” and LHD programs. These 5 ships will be the core of Australia’s future surface navy. The future HMAS Canberra and HMAS Adelaide will be able to serve as amphibious landing ships, helicopter carriers, floating HQs and medical facilities for humanitarian assistance, and launching pads for UAVs or even short/vertical takeoff fighters.
Winner: The Navantia-Tenix LHD
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