Hobart-class destroyer

HMAS Hobart in December 2017
Class overview
Name	Hobart class
Builders	Navantia (designer) AWD Alliance (project coordinator) ASC (primary shipbuilder) Forgacs Group and BAE Systems Australia (module builders)
Operators	Royal Australian Navy
Preceded by	Perth-class destroyer and Adelaide-class frigate
Cost	A$9.1 billion (2020)[1][2][3] for 3 units + ToT (est.) A$3.03 billion (2020) per unit (est.)
Built	2009–2020
In commission	2017–present
Planned	3
Active	3
General characteristics (as designed)
Type	Guided-missile destroyer
Displacement	7,000 tonnes (6,900 long tons; 7,700 short tons) full load
Length	147.2 metres (483 ft)
Beam	18.6 metres (61 ft) maximum
Draught	5.17 metres (17.0 ft)
Propulsion	Combined diesel or gas (CODOG) arrangement 2 × General Electric Marine model 7LM2500-SA-MLG38 gas turbines, 17,500 kilowatts (23,500 hp) each 2 × Caterpillar Bravo 16 V Bravo diesel engines, 5,650 kilowatts (7,580 hp) each 2 × controllable pitch propellers
Speed	Over 28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph)
Range	Over 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Complement	186 + 16 aircrew Accommodation for 234
Sensors and processing systems	Aegis combat system Lockheed Martin AN/SPY-1D(V) S-band radar Northrop Grumman AN/SPQ-9B X-band pulse Doppler horizon search radar Raytheon Mark 99 fire-control system with two AN/SPG-62 continuous wave illuminating radars 2 × L-3 Communications SAM Electronics X-band navigation radars Ultra Electronics Sonar Systems, hull mounted sonar and towed sonar[4] Ultra Electronics Series 2500 electro-optical director Sagem VAMPIR IR search and track system Rafael Toplite stabilised target acquisition sights
Electronic warfare & decoys	ITT EDO Reconnaissance and Surveillance Systems ES-3701 ESM radar SwRI MBS-567A communications ESM system Ultra Electronics Avalon Systems multipurpose digital receiver Jenkins Engineering Defence Systems low-band receiver 4 × Nulka decoy launchers 4 × 6-tube multipurpose decoy launchers
Armament	Missiles: 48-cell Mark 41 Vertical Launch System firing: SM-2 Standard missile RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow missile SM-6 missile (Sydney) Tomahawk cruise missile (Brisbane) 2 × 4-canister Harpoon missile launchers (Hobart & Brisbane) 2 x 4-canister Naval Strike Missile launchers (Sydney) Torpedoes: 2 × 2-tube Mark 32 Mod 9 torpedo launchers firing MU90 Impact torpedoes Guns: 1 × 5"/64 calibre Mark 45 mod 4 main gun 2 × 25mm M242 Bushmaster Mk 38 mod 2 Typhoon RWS 1 × 20mm Phalanx CIWS
Aircraft carried	1 × MH-60R Seahawk

The Hobart class is a ship class of three air warfare destroyers (AWDs) built for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Planning for ships to replace the Adelaide-class frigates and restore the capability last exhibited by the Perth-class destroyers began by 2000, initially under acquisition project SEA 1400, which was re-designated SEA 4000. Although the designation "Air Warfare Destroyer" is used to describe ships dedicated to the defence of a naval force (plus assets ashore) from aircraft and missile attack, the destroyers are expected to also operate in anti-surface, anti-submarine, and naval gunfire support roles.

Planning for the Australian Air Warfare Destroyer (as the class was known until 2006) continued through the mid-2000s, with the selection of the Aegis combat system as the intended combat system and ASC Pty Ltd (ASC) as the primary shipbuilder in 2005. In late 2005, the AWD Alliance was formed as a consortium of the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO), ASC, and Raytheon. Between 2005 and 2007, Gibbs & Cox's Evolved Arleigh Burke-class destroyer concept and Navantia's Álvaro de Bazán-class frigate competed for selection as the AWD design. Although the Arleigh Burke design was larger and more capable, the Álvaro de Bazán design was selected in June 2007 as it was an existing design and would be cheaper, quicker, and less risky to build.

Three ships were ordered in October 2007, and were assembled at ASC's facility in Osborne, South Australia, from 31 pre-fabricated modules (or 'blocks'). An option to build a fourth destroyer was included in the original contract but was not exercised. ASC, NQEA, and Forgacs Group were selected in May 2009 to build the blocks, but within two months, NQEA was replaced by BAE Systems Australia. Construction errors and growing delays led the AWD Alliance to redistribute the construction workload in 2011, with some modules to be built by Navantia. Increasing slippage pushed the original planned 2014-2016 commissioning dates out by at least three years, with lead ship Hobart to be completed by June 2017, Brisbane in September 2018, and Sydney by March 2020. The AWD Alliance, Navantia, and the involved shipyards were criticised for underestimating risks, costs, and timeframes; faulty drawings and bad building practices leading to repeated manufacturing errors; and blame-passing. The alliance concept was panned for having no clear management structure or entity in charge, and having the DMO simultaneously acting as supplier, build partner, and customer for the ships.^{[citation needed]}