TONSLEY, Australia – Surface warfare experts of the Royal Australian Navy in Canberra, Australia, needed a torpedo-defense system for the service's future Hunter-class heavy frigates. They found a solution from Ultra Maritime-Australia in Mawson Lakes, Australia.
Officials of BAE Systems Australia in Adelaide, Australia, announced last week that Hunter class frigates will be equipped with the Ultra Maritime Surface Ship Torpedo Defence (SSTD) system. BAE Systems Australia is the prime systems integrator for the Hunter-class frigate.
The Ultra Maritime SSTD torpedo-detection and -countermeasure system is designed to enhance anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities of surface warships like frigates and destroyers. It uses a passive acoustic towed array that detects incoming torpedoes using acoustic signatures, and integrates non-acoustic sensors and intercept sensors to identify incoming torpedoes.
The Ultra SSTD uses artificial intelligence (AI) and sophisticated computer processing to detect and classify incoming torpedoes, and helps ship commanders assesses the severity of undersea threats and choose appropriate tactical responses.
Torpedo defense
The system provides soft-kill countermeasures like expendable acoustic decoys and towed decoys to lure torpedoes away from the ship to reduce the risk of hits. A hard-kill variant is under development to attack, destroy, or neutralize incoming enemy torpedoes. The SSTD offers an integrated sense to effect capability that combines detection, threat evaluation, and countermeasures deployment.
Also using the Ultra Maritime SSTD are the navies of the United Kingdom, Canada, and Norway aboard frigates and destroyers. The United Kingdom Royal Navy operates an earlier version of SSTD called Sonar 2170 or Sea Sentor, which uses an acoustic passive towed array and AI-based threat analysis.
The future Hunter class frigate is based on a modified version of the BAE Systems Type 26 Global Combat Ship design from the United Kingdom Royal Navy. These frigates are designed for ASW, air defense, surface warfare, surveillance, intelligence, and interdiction.
The 8,200-ton heavy frigates are about 497 feet long, 68 feet wide, use a combined diesel-electric or gas propulsion system, can steam as fast as 27 knots, and offer a range of 7,000 nautical miles. The frigate is slightly smaller than the U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyer.
Shipboard electronics
The Hunter-class frigate also will be fitted with the Australian-developed CEAFAR2 phased-array radar, hull-mounted sonar, towed array and variable depth sonar, electro-optical sensors, and electronic warfare systems. It will be armed with the Mark 45 Mod 4 5-inch gun, SM-2 and Evolved Sea Sparrow missiles, advanced anti-ship missiles, MU90 and Mark 54 torpedoes, Mk 41 vertical launch system (VLS), and Nulka decoy system.
The Hunter-class frigate will be able to accommodate one MH-60R Seahawk helicopter, and will have room for additional crewed and uncrewed aircraft. It will accommodate 183 to 208 crew members. The first ship of the class, the HMAS Hunter, is expected to be commissioned in 2032.
For more information contact Ultra Marine online at https://umaritime.com/, BAE Systems-Australia at www.baesystems.com/en-aus, or the Royal Australian Navy at www.navy.gov.au/capabilities/ships-boats-and-submarines/hunter-class-frigate.
