Minister for Defence Industry tours Italian Frigate

05 Feb 2017 Media release

Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon. Christopher Pyne MP, has toured the Italian FREMM frigate ITS Carabiniere as it visits South Australia today.

ITS Carabiniere is on a four-month deployment to the Asia-Pacific to support naval cooperation and security in the region. Following her earlier stop to Fremantle, she will visit Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.

Minister Pyne said the Australian Government committed $35 billion to build nine anti-submarine warfare frigates in Adelaide and is committed to developing a strong, secure and sustainable Australian naval shipbuilding industry.

“The nine frigates will start construction in Adelaide in 2020, creating more than 2000 jobs in South Australiaand bringing economic benefits that will spread across the nation for decades to come,” he said.

“The ships are part of the national shipbuilding endeavour that will see over $88 billion invested in up to 54 vessels over the coming decades.

“The Australian Government, through this national shipbuilding endeavour, is securing Australia’s long-term national security and will deliver the capability required by our Navy for years to come.”

The Italian Frigate is one of the designs being considered by the Commonwealth as part of the Future Frigates Project Competitive Evaluation Process (CEP). BAE Systems and Navantia are also participating in the CEP.