ANZAC WIP (Warfighting Improvement Program)

[Volkodav]

In the late 90s / early 2000s the RAN was shrinking and its newest major surface combatants were the ANZAC Class Patrol Frigates. The DDGs were retiring without replacement and the FFGs were being upgraded under the FFGUP. With no new major combatants on the horizon there was a need to improve the individual capability of the remaining ships.

Thus was born the plan to upgrade the ANZAC Class Patrol Frigates into "mini DDGs". The proposal was found to be unworkable and was dropped, then succeeded by the highly successful ANZAC ASMD (Anti Ship Missile Defence) program.

I have been digging and researching but have found nothing other than some single line references in descriptions of the evolution of the ANZACs. There were some writeups in various periodicals of the time but I cannot find the articles now.

I am interested in any information others may have or can find. From memory the project was intended to fit AEGIS and SPY-1F to the already existing ANZAC, along with additional VLS to provide a reasonable number of SM-2. Obviously with the top weight issues the design has faced with the much less volume and weight intensive ASMD mods, such an outfit would have been challenging to say the least. It strikes me that the capability desired was more akin to the proposed AEGIS/SPY-1F derivative of the German F-124 Frigate offered for the AWD project that resulted in the Hobart Class.

I am curious as to what else is out there on this, I think it will be worth investigating and having this information available on this site.

Does anyone else see parallels to the original RAN County Class Destroyer request, i.e. Different and extra equipment, crammed on a too small hull, to meet a capability requirement that needed a much bigger ship.

 

[datafuser]

This is an archived web page of 1998.

https://web.archive.org/web/20000915112612/http://www.ausmarinetech.com.au/anzacwip.htm

 

[datafuser]

https://www.defense-aerospace.com/british-aerospace-launches-sampson-integrated-weapon-system-siws/

 

[datafuser]

Attached is the saved HTML file of Australian Defence Magazine. Vol. 8, No.7 July 2000.

" However, Tenix Defence Systems has also submitted an unsolicited proposal to the RAN that the last two Anzac frigates which it is building should be re-designed and built instead as AAW frigates. These ships are due to be launched in 2004 and 2005, respectively, and Tenix has proposed an AAW solution derived from its earlier unsuccessful bid for the RAN's FFG frigate upgrade. This includes the addition of a new 3-dimensional search radar, two new Mk41 Vertical Launch Systems to arm the frigates with SM-2 Block 4 long range air defense missiles and Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSM) for point and anti-missile defense. The upgraded Anzac frigates would be some 50 feet longer than the present design and would include also a new Mk74 fire control system and upgraded combat data system. "

 

[Volkodav]

Outstanding, thank you datafuser, that is more than I could ever have hoped for.

 

[Volkodav]

Visiting the AMT page you linked I see the proposals seem to have been developed in response to a 1995 request, this is really interesting as I had been under the impression the ANZAC WIP was the brainchild of the new government elected in 1996.

This changes a lot of the assumptions I have held previously, as it means that the FFGUP, ANZAC WIP, proposed new build replacements for the DDGs, as well as the OCV (corvettes) were all kicked off by the previous government, despite the decision falling to the new government.

I had always assumed the previous government had done nothing in regard to the ANZACs capability upgrades, or the DDG replacement, but it now appears they had, but it stalled when the government changed.