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Raytheon has been selected to provide the Royal Australian Navy’s future general purpose frigate fleet with the advanced SeaRAM close-in air and missile defence system, marking Australia’s first acquisition of the combat-proven capability.
The contract, awarded by Japanese shipbuilder Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, will support the first three vessels under Australia’s SEA 3000 General Purpose Frigate program, which will see the Navy field an evolved version of Japan’s Mogami Class frigate as the replacement for the ageing Anzac Class fleet.
Under the agreement, Raytheon will deliver SeaRAM launchers, blast test vehicles and associated technical support services to enable installation and integration aboard the first batch of ships, which are set to be constructed in Japan before production transitions to Australia later in the program.
Barbara Borgonovi, president of naval power at Raytheon, said the selection represented a major enhancement in the survivability and layered defensive capability of Australia’s future surface fleet.
“SeaRAM extends the defensive reach of a ship beyond traditional close-in weapon system ranges,” Borgonovi said.
“By integrating SeaRAM on the Royal Australian Navy’s new surface combatants, Australia gains a proven, highly effective terminal air and missile defence layer for its future fleet.”
The system combines the sensors and autonomous tracking architecture of the Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) with the Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM), creating a rapid-reaction point defence capability designed to intercept anti-ship cruise missiles, loitering munitions, helicopters, aircraft and increasingly sophisticated airborne threats during the final stages of an engagement.
Unlike conventional gun-based CIWS systems, SeaRAM uses an 11-cell launcher armed with RAM interceptors, significantly increasing engagement range and lethality against modern sea-skimming missile threats while reducing the risk of debris and collateral damage associated with high-volume naval gunfire.
The Royal Australian Navy’s adoption of SeaRAM also positions Australia within the growing international RAM user community, which includes the United States, Japan, Germany, South Korea, Greece, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The decision forms part of Canberra’s broader effort to rapidly modernise the Navy’s surface combatant fleet amid escalating regional strategic competition and the proliferation of advanced anti-ship missile systems throughout the Indo-Pacific.
The evolved Mogami Class frigates selected under SEA 3000 are expected to provide the Navy with a significantly more capable and technologically advanced platform than the outgoing Anzac Class vessels.
Derived from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s latest multi-mission frigate design, the upgraded variant is expected to feature enhanced anti-submarine warfare capabilities, reduced radar signature, advanced automation, integrated sensor fusion and improved missile defence systems.
Australian officials have also highlighted the class’ comparatively lean crewing model as a major advantage, with the highly automated design requiring substantially fewer personnel than traditional frigates, an increasingly important consideration as the Australian Defence Force continues to grapple with workforce pressures.
The ships are expected to operate as versatile multi-role combatants capable of conducting maritime security operations, anti-submarine warfare, escort duties, long-range patrols and distributed fleet operations across the Indo-Pacific.
The SEA 3000 program is planned to deliver 11 vessels for the Royal Australian Navy, forming a key pillar of the future fleet structure alongside the Hunter Class frigates, Hobart Class destroyers and future conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines under AUKUS.
Work on the SeaRAM contract will be undertaken at Raytheon’s production facilities in Louisville, Kentucky, with deliveries for the first systems expected to commence in late 2028.
Stephen Kuper
Steve has an extensive career across government, defence industry and advocacy, having previously worked for cabinet ministers at both Federal and State levels.
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