Under the programme, HMA Ships Hobart, Brisbane and Sydney will receive new technology, the integration of a Tomahawk cruise missile system and an upgraded Aegis combat system. The upgrades are intended to significantly enhance the operational capability of the fleet.
“Hobart’s arrival was the accumulation of many months of hard work and since the milestone, the DCE teams have continued moving at pace with efficiency,” Shaun Connelly, BAE Systems Australia – Maritime’s DDG Program Director, said. “I’d like to acknowledge the close collaboration with our customer and industry partners helping lead this incredible body of work.”
A key element of the programme is the Combat Systems Integration – Integrated Project Team, a partnership between the Commonwealth of Australia, BAE Systems Australia, Saab Australia and Lockheed Martin Australia. The team is upgrading the destroyers from Aegis Baseline 8 to 9, introducing Saab’s new Australian Interface and incorporating the Tomahawk Weapon System.
The upgraded Aegis system will also be fitted to the future Hunter class frigates as they enter service. With both the destroyer upgrade and frigate build programmes under way, Osborne has become a Tier 1 surface combatant shipyard.
“Osborne shares a 40 year history with the Royal Australian Navy and this legacy includes construction of the three Hobart class destroyers,” Connelly said. “The shipyard is state of the art, continues to evolve and now with supporting both the DCE and Hunter programs, this versatility makes it a premier asset for the Continuous Naval Shipbuilding and Sustainment Enterprise.”
BAE Systems Australia is an industry partner in the Destroyer Enterprise and was named Capability Life Cycle Manager for the destroyers in 2024, overseeing sustainment activities including engineering, maintenance and supply chain management. The destroyer is now docked for its upgrade at the same site where it was built nearly a decade ago.
