Anzac-class

Summary

Description

The Anzac class frigates, also known as the MEKO 200 ANZ type, consist of ten ships—eight operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and two by the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). Both nations sought replacements for older ships in the 1980s and decided to collaborate on the procurement in 1987, naming the project after the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps of WWI. Germany’s Blohm + Voss’s MEKO 200 design, modified for local conditions and built by AMECON in Australia, was selected. Construction started in 1992, with the ships featuring a top speed of 27 knots, a range of 6,000 nautical miles at 18 knots, and an initial armament that included a 5-inch main gun, a Sea Sparrow missile system, and a helicopter equipped for missiles. They were fitted for additional weapons systems which were added later.

The Anzac class has seen significant service, including deployments to East Timor, as part of the INTERFET, and operational tours in the Persian Gulf. As of 2014, all ten ships were in active service. The RAN aims to start replacing their Anzac class with Hunter-class frigates from 2027, while the RNZN plans to keep them operational until the mid-2030s.

In terms of design, the Anzac-class ships have a full load displacement of 3,600 tonnes and are 118 meters in overall length. Constructed using all-steel with fin stabilizers, they are powered by a single gas turbine and two diesel engines, driving two controllable-pitch propellers. The original armament was a United Defense 5-inch Mark 45 Mod 2 gun and an 8-cell Mark 41 Mod 5 vertical launch system for Sea Sparrow missiles. Equipment fitted but not initially provided included Harpoon anti-ship missile launchers, a close-in weapons system, and torpedo systems. Eventually, all frigates were fitted with torpedo launchers, the RAN added Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles, and both navies implemented significant upgrades to weapons, sensors, and systems during service. Armament also included missile-armed helicopters, initially Seahawks for Australia and Wasps for New Zealand.

The Anzac class utilized modularity in construction, with sections built in Whangārei, New Zealand, and Newcastle, NSW, alongside Williamstown, Victoria, particularly for the superstructure. The RAN and RNZN embarked on modernization projects to improve the class's capabilities, equipping them with Phalanx CIWS systems, Sea Sparrow replacements, advanced radar systems including CEAFAR, and torpedoes such as the MU90 Impact.

For replacements, Australia is considering the inclusion of CEA radars into a new class of frigates, while plans for New Zealand’s replacements are yet to be detailed, expected in the mid-2030s.

Technical specifications