Australia lays keel for first Hunter-class anti-submarine frigate
BAE Systems Maritime Australia officially laid the keel of NUSHIP Hunter on 24 August 2026 at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia, marking the formal start of hull assembly. The Hunter-class is derived from the British Type 26 design. Twenty of 22 hull blocks are now under construction, with delivery planned for the early 2030s.
Why it matters: The Type 26 family now spans three navies and three continents, validating BAE's export bet — but Australia's timeline suggests the design's complexity remains a schedule risk even with British lessons learned.
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