'Keel Laying' for Australia's First Hunter Class Frigate

25 Agustus 2026

Keel laying ceremony for the first Hunter class frigate (photos: Aus DoD)

The Albanese Government has marked a significant milestone in delivering Australia’s future surface combatant fleet today, with the laying of the keel for the first Hunter class frigate at South Australia’s Osborne Naval Shipyard. 

Honouring a centuries-old naval tradition, the keel laying sees a coin placed beneath the keel of the ship to bestow good fortune on the vessel during its construction and throughout its life at sea. 

Construction of the Hunter class frigates is part of the Albanese Government’s commitment to continuous naval shipbuilding in South Australia and the delivery of a larger and more lethal surface combatant fleet for the Royal Australian Navy. 

The Hunter class will provide Navy with an advanced anti-submarine warfare capability, one of the most important capabilities for Australia’s maritime security, and strengthen our ability to operate alongside allies and partners. 

This program, being delivered by BAE Systems Maritime Australia, is directly supporting more than 2,500 jobs, with the majority of the workforce based in South Australia. An additional 5,000 Australian industry jobs are being supported through the supply chain for the build.

The Hunter class fleet will also integrate Australian‑made radar technology and advanced combat system elements from the United States.

Construction of 20 of the first ship’s 22 blocks is already underway, which will see the Royal Australian Navy receive the first Hunter class frigate in the early 2030s.

Quotes attributable to Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles:

“Today’s milestone is a vital step forward for the Australian workers building these ships, the men and women who will serve on them, and our nation’s future maritime security.

“The laying of the keel for the first Hunter class frigate demonstrates tangible progress in the delivery of a more capable, lethal and resilient surface combatant fleet for Australia.

“The Hunter class frigates will provide a world-class anti-submarine warfare capability, designed to operate in complex maritime environments.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy:

“This Hunter class frigate program is already supporting thousands of high-skilled and well-paid jobs. So, this is a landmark moment that demonstrates Australia already has the skilled workforce needed to undertake complex projects like this. 

“The Hunter class frigate program is a critical part of the Albanese Government’s plan for giving the Navy the capabilities it needs to help keep Australia safe. It’s also about supporting continuous naval shipbuilding and contributing a secure future made in Australia.

“Through the construction of the Hunter frigates, we are strengthening South Australia’s role as a national centre for complex naval shipbuilding and supporting skilled Australian jobs across the broader national supply chain.”

Quotes attributable to Premier of South Australia, Peter Malinauskas:

“This is a momentous day for South Australian shipbuilding.

“More than 2,500 highly skilled men and women are now working at Osborne building the Hunter Frigates, a massive undertaking that represents the start of continuous naval shipbuilding here in Adelaide.

“BAE have almost 600 tradespeople now working on this project -- some of them young people trained up at our remarkable Technical Colleges, and now locked into well paid, interesting lifelong careers. And there’s still AUKUS to come.

“Recruiting the workforce for these tasks represents a massive challenge. But it is also a massive opportunity for our state, and we are working hand in hand with the Albanese Government to ensure we can capitalise on it.”

(Aus DoD)