HMAS Hunter (FFG) is the lead ship of the future Hunter-class of heavy guided-missile frigates of the Royal Australian Navy. It is under construction, and is expected to enter service in 2034.
Development and design
The Hunter-class frigate is a future class of frigates for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), partly to replace the Anzac-class and as a supplement to Hobart-class destroyers. Construction was expected to begin in 2020, with the first of nine vessels to enter service in the late 2020s. The Program is expected to cost AU$35 billion and a request for tender was released in March 2017 to three contenders: Navantia, Fincantieri, and BAE Systems as part of a competitive evaluation process.
The Hunter-class frigate will be an Australian variation of the Type 26 class frigate that is to be operated by the Royal Navy from the mid-2020s. The class will have a full load displacement and will be approximately in length. The vessel will be capable of sailing in excess of and will have a full complement of 180 crew.
Construction and career Hunter was ordered on 30 June 2018 (that is, the BAE Systems proposal for new Australian frigates was accepted then) and named after Vice Admiral John Hunter. She is being built by BAE Systems Australia in Osborne. First steel was cut on prototype blocks in December 2021. The first steel that will actually be used in Hunter was cut in June 2024. The binding contract for ordering the first three Hunter-class ships was signed 21 June 2024. HMAS Hunter had been expected to be commissioned in 2031 but is only projected to be operational in 2034.
The keel for the ship was laid on 24 August 2026.
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