BAE Systems Australia has entered its bid to build nine anti-submarine warfare frigates for the Royal Australian Navy, the company announced on Thursday.
The frigates for the country's SEA 5000 Future Frigate program are part of a company effort to partner with the government to develop a long-term ship building strategy.
BAE Systems' offering is for a variant of the Type 26 Global Combat Ship frigate being built for Britain, the company said.
"By combining the formidable capability of our Type 26 anti-submarine warfare frigate with the heritage and skills we have in Australia, we are sure we can offer a proposition to the government that is both transformational and compelling," Nigel Stewart, Global Maritime Business Development at BAE, said in a press release. "Our commitment is to establish a world-class ship building capability in Australia that will build Australian ships with an Australian work force."
BAE says it has more than 3,500 employees in Australia and a "fully mature" supply chain built over its six decades of work with Australia, which the company believes puts it in prime position to build the vessels.
"The opportunity we will bring to Australia through SEA 5000 is unique," Stewart said. "It offers us the chance to collaborate across the company by sharing our expertise and experience, transferring embedded knowledge from one market to benefit another. In addition, BAE Systems is committed to representing Australia in the global marketplace, helping grow Australia's export opportunities and opening up new markets for Australian industry through our global supply chain."
The Type 26 frigate has a length of 492 feet and a displacement of 7,600 tons. Its speed is more than 26 knots.
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