BAE Systems ramps up quest for SEA 5000
I am surprised BAE still thinks that it has the chance to make the final preferred supplier for Sea5000. I thought given RN's delay on the Type 26, they would been considered the least likely to succeed.
Ironically an evolved Type 26 may be the most suitable option for the RAN due to the fact its design hasn't been fixed yet, the issue is, yet again, we have stuffed around then set an unrealistic schedule, limiting our options. Perhaps the batch build Raven mentioned may be the way forward (though indications I've had from industry are that while sensible for a sustained build they have heard nothing).
The preferred options for the AWD were the G&C International Frigate and either a licence build or MOTS buy of Flight II Arleigh Burkes and we ended up with a minimum change F-100, even though Navantia offered to evolve the design to meet the full original requirements, including second helicopter, larger VLS and extra growth margin. With Hobart approaching sea trials and all looking good now its interesting to realise that the assumptions made that building an existing, virtually unmodified, existing design to print, using an existing supply chain has actually ended up as expensive, if not more so than building an evolved or enhanced design. One of the key reasons for this was the assumptions were used to justify not having a robust engineering and quality / build assurance capability. Reality intruded once the project was underway and these functions had to established on the run, then work through the backlog of problems that were never meant to happen on a "build to print" project. A new, developmental or evolved design would have had these functions from day one and as such many of the issues encountered on Hobart would have been mitigated, if not averted entirely.
To me the logical move would have been, having selected the F-100 against the RANs advice in the first place, to order an additional AWD of the same baseline or three of an evolved baseline with work having already kicked off. This would allow breathing space to select the most suitable design for a continuous build going forward, but I still look at Koreas KDX III enhanced Burkes and wonder what could have been considering how much we ended up spending on three frigates with limited growth margins.
