Source: Brisbanetimes
By David Wroe
Britain is strongly tipped to win the hard-fought contest to design and build Australia’s new $35 billion fleet of naval frigates in a move that would firm up the partnership with a key ally at a time of international political uncertainty.
Sources in Canberra and defence industry circles said it was all but certain that Britain’s BAE Systems would be chosen as the international partner to design and help build what will form the backbone of the Royal Australian Navy’s surface fleet for the coming decades.
The national security committee of cabinet is expected to discuss the decision soon, with an announcement possible by the end of next week.
The British firm has been in a race against Italy’s Fincantieri and Spain’s Navantia for the contract to provide a design and help Australia build nine new frigates, starting in 2020. BAE has previously said the project will create more than 5000 jobs.
Defence has assessed the three bids and is understood to have made a recommendation on which offering would give the navy the best capability for key missions such as hunting enemy submarines.
Read more at: https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/federal/australia-tipped-to-buy-british-naval-frigates-in-35-billion-deal-with-old-partner-20180619-p4zmea.html