The Australian government has awarded BAE Systems a contract to supply Mk 45 medium caliber guns and the automated Ammunition Handling System to the Royal Australian Navy’s new Hunter-class frigates.
According to BAE, Mk 45 will provide RAN with a setup that can easily incorporate advanced munitions for the firepower needed in Hunter class missions. The automated gun system boosts naval capability and increases sailor safety, the company said.
Work on the contract will begin in 2023 and finish in 2036, with engineering completion in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and production in Louisville, Kentucky.
BAE Systems’ Australian arm is building RAN’s Hunter warships, which are patterned after the Type 26 Global Combat Ships that the company is building for the British Royal Navy.
Australia’s Hunter Class Frigate Program’s contract was awarded in 2018 to BAE Systems Maritime Australia, a subsidiary of BAE Systems Australia. The contract calls for building nine warships enhanced with anti-submarine capabilities.
