On 20 February 2023, the Australian Government released its blueprint for a larger and more lethal surface combatant fleet for the Royal Australian Navy.
The Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon Richard Marles MO; Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy MP and Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AO RAN, announced the Navy's Future Surface Combatant Fleet at Fleet Base East in Sydney.
This follows the Government's consideration of the recommendations of the Independent Analysis of the Surface Combatant Fleet, commissioned in response to the defence Strategic Review.