BBC News:
BAE beat Italian and Spanish rivals to win a large slice of the £19.6bn ($25.7bn; A$35bn) spending programme. The ships will be based on anti-submarine frigates that BAE is building for the UK’s Royal Navy. However, the new warships will be built in Australia by a local workforce.
BAE’s Australian arm said the construction of the ships locally would make a significant contribution to Australia’s economy “creating thousands of jobs, supporting new industries and boosting the national supply chain for decades to come”.
“We are proud to have been selected as preferred tenderer to provide the Royal Australian Navy with a world-class ship, equipped with the latest technologies and designed specifically to meet its needs,” BAE Systems Australia chief executive, Gabby Costigan said.
