Officials decide on frigate design

Press, 22 July 1989, Page 8

Officials decide on frigate design

By

BRENDON BURNS

in Wellington

Australian and New Zealand officials have decided which of two designs they favour for the Anzac frigate. A spokesman for the Minister of Defence, Mr Tizard, said yesterday that Mr Tizard would get the details of the recommendation next week. Australia’s Minister of Defence, Mr Beazley, has received the information already. Two shipbuilding consortia have been vying for the right to build eight frigates for Australia and up to four for New Zealand, if participation is confirmed. The Melbourne-based Amecon consortium, which includes New Zealand’s Cable Price Downer as a partner, proposes to build Germandesigned Meko frigates.

This bid has been seen

as having the edge in tendering, after successfully nudging out the Dutch M-class design In several other foreign contracts.

The A.W.S. consortium, centred in Newcastle, New South Wales, proposes to build the Dutch vessel, in consort with McConnel Dowell, Ltd, of New Zealand. A special Cabinet subcommittee will next week consider the recommendations of the officials who assessed the tender.

Headed by the Prime Minister, Mr Lange, the committee also includes Mr Tizard, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Marshall, and the Minister of Finance, Mr Caygill.

If the recommended frigate tender is accepted in principle, the Cabinet could consider whether to proceed with frigates at its July 31 meeting. Should approval be given, final contractual

negotiations would then take place with the successful consortium and the Australian Government. Issues would include what number of frigates are acquired, the timing of delivery and what equipment and systems, will be Included. Details of whether to buy or lease the frigates would need to be settled with the Australian Government. Mr Tizard is expected to travel to Canberra next month to meet Mr Beazley.

Australia is expected to announce the successful contractor in its Budget in rhid-August, and New Zealand’s decision will follow by the end of the month. Mr Tizard had given an undertaking to brief the Government caucus before any announcement was made, said his spokesman.