Australia’s Hunter-class frigates to feature Ultra Maritime’s hull-mounted sonar

Ultra Maritime Australia has been contracted to provide its hull-mounted sonar for the Royal Australian Navy’s Hunter-class frigates.

Specifically, the company received this contract from BAE Systems Australia, the company in charge of building these vessels, to supply the frigates with its Sonar 2150.

The 2150 Bow Sonar will be installed on the Hunter class frigates, improving their ability to detect and respond to underwater threats. In addition to supporting ASW operations, the system will contribute to mine and obstacle detection, essential for maintaining the safety of the ships during naval operations. The sonar system is designed to work in a variety of maritime environments, contributing to the overall operational effectiveness of the frigates.

“Ultra Maritime is committed to building a strategic partnership with the Commonwealth of Australia, as we continue to invest and grow our support to the Royal Australian Navy fleet with delivery of world-class undersea warfare solutions,” said Mark Potter, Vice President and General Manager of Ultra Maritime Australia.

As part of its ‘Sea Searcher’ hull-mounted sonar range, Ultra has developed two smaller and lighter-weight variants of the Type 2150 for naval vessels up to 1,000 tonnes and 2,000 tonnes, respectively.

Ultra Maritime has operated in Australia for over 15 years, initially specializing in electronic warfare. The company has since expanded its work to include sonar systems, providing the integrated sonar system (ISS) for the Royal Australian Navy’s Hobart-class air warfare destroyers.

The Hunter-class frigates are a class of advanced warships being built for the Royal Australian Navy to replace the aging Anzac-class frigates. The ships will have an 8,800-tonne full load displacement and will be approximately 150 meters long.

They will be equipped with advanced anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capability, a 24-cell strike length Mk 41 VLS for long-range strike weapons such as the Tomahawk, a vertical launch silo (VLS) for Sea Ceptor anti-air missiles, a 5-inch gun, and will be capable of landing a Chinook helicopter on its flight deck.

Recently, the steel was cut at Osbourne Naval Shipyard in Adelaide for the Royal Australian Navy’s first Hunter-class frigate. The deliveries are scheduled for the 2030s.