Rohde & Schwarz Australia has contracted UK-based STS Defence to supply a pair of configurable communication masts for each of the first three Royal Australian Navy Hunter-class frigates.
The twin masts will be paired with NAVICS Multi-Level Security systems being supplied by Rohde & Schwarz Australia under a 2024 contract, enabling the vessels to communicate effectively across multiple frequency bands.
“We are delighted to have STS Defence on board as a key supplier for the HCFP (Hunter Class Frigate Program),” Managing Director of Rohde & Schwarz Australia Gareth Evans said.
“STS Defence’s expertise in the design and manufacture of high-quality communications masts will be essential in ensuring the success of the Hunter program.”
Production will take place in the UK, with the first shipset expected to be delivered in 2028.
The design is based on the main communications mast supplied by STS Defence for the UK Royal Navy’s Type 26 frigates.
Configurable Communication Masts
The masts will be mounted above the vessel’s mission bay to support a range of antennas and isolation screens.
The antennas will provide line-of-sight communications across multiple frequency bands, while isolation screens will ensure separation between them.
The starboard-side mast will primarily support ultra- and very-high-frequency communications, while the port-side mast will house 4G, GPS, and ship-to-shore satellite communications antennas.
South Wales-based Mainstay Marine Solutions will manufacture and assemble the mast structures in Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, before shipping them to Adelaide for installation on the warships.
“This is a flagship programme for STS Defence which showcases our technology, design and integration capabilities,” STS Defence Managing Director Ben Stancliffe said.
“We are immensely proud to be providing this mission critical system to one of the most advanced warships in the world.”
Australia has ordered nine Hunter-class anti-submarine frigates, with the first vessel expected to achieve operational capability by 2034.
