Sophisticated communication masts will be produced by a Gosport-based defence company for the Australian navy.

STS Defence, in Mumby Road, has been awarded a £7m deal to produce twin integrated main communications masts for three Hunter-class frigates. Managing director Ben Stancliffe hailed the firm’s ability to work on new and advanced warships being produced for the Royal Australian Navy.

He said: “This is a flagship programme for STS Defence which showcases our technology, design and integration capabilities. We are immensely proud to be providing this mission critical system to one of the most advanced warships in the world.”

A Gosport-based defence company has secured a contract to produce communications masts for Hunter-class frigates being built for Australia. Pictured is HMS Cardiff, a Type 26 frigate being built for the Royal Navy of similar standards. STS Defence also produces masts for Type 26 ships. | John Devlin

placeholder image — A Gosport-based defence company has secured a contract to produce communications masts for Hunter-class frigates being built for Australia. Pictured is HMS Cardiff, a Type 26 frigate being built for the Royal Navy of similar standards. STS Defence also produces masts for Type 26 ships. | John Devlin

Rohde & Schwarz Australia Ltd presented the contract to STS Defence. Two masts will be fitted to each of the three frigates, with the first set anticipated to be delivered in 2028. Each mast ship-set will be built in the United Kingdom and shipped to Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia.

They will support a range of antennas by providing line of sight communications across a range of frequency bands. Mast Head Steaming Navigation Lights will be linked to the upgrades, and special isolation screens will be produced to make the system more reliable.

The structures for the masts will be manufactured and assembled by Mainstay Marine Solutions Ltd in Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire. Products will then be shipped to Adelaide so they can be installed.

A spokesperson said although the masts are constructed in Pembrokeshire, it supports the company’s Gosport based operations - where the masts were designed. The company also produces communication devices for the Royal Navy’s new Type 26 ships, currently being built in Scotland.

“These contracts support an important part of our business, keeping local employees employed and ensuring ongoing work exists”, the spokesperson said, “we continue to do all the upgrades and through life support for the Type 26, as well as for the Type 45 Polemasts which are integral parts of Type 45 Destroyers. The Polemasts are one of many steady income streams that support our business in Gosport.”

While the project is managed and tested in Gosport, part of the construction is sub-contracted. Mainstay in West Wales takes care of the aluminium structure, with the composite structure built by Jeremy Rogers Ltd in Lymington, Hampshire.

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The spokesperson said the company is going from strength to strength thanks to new contracts. “We are about to sign a new 15 year lease with our landlord Premier Marinas in Gosport securing our site along with the employment opportunities for the local area,” they added.

“This lease comes with a complete new extension to our building creating more space and a modern environment for our staff, ensuring that we can offer more and better opportunities for those in the local area. Employees have grown by 25 per cent in the last two years.”

Gareth Evans, managing director of Rohde & Schwarz Australia, said: “We are delighted to have STS Defence on board as a key supplier for the Hunter Class Frigate Program. Their expertise in the design and manufacture of high-quality communications masts will be essential in ensuring the success of this program.”