Australia Picks Japan’s Mogami-Class Frigates

AUSTRALIA selected the upgraded Japanese Mogami-class frigate from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) as the preferred platform for the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) future fleet of general purpose frigates, the biggest defence deal for Tokyo to date.

Following a rigorous and competitive tender process, MHI’s Mogami-class frigate was assessed as best able to quickly meet the capability requirements and strategic needs of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Boasting a range of up to 10,000 nautical miles, a 32 Cell Vertical Launch System (VLS) , and is fitted with surface-to-air missiles (SAM) and anti-ship missiles (ASM).

With a price tag of US$6.5 billion, these 11 new general purpose frigates will replace the Anzac-class frigates and will be equipped for undersea warfare and air defence. Alongside the Hunter-class frigates, the upgraded Hobart-class destroyers and advanced missile investments, these new frigates will be an essential part of the plan to more than double the size of Navy’s surface combatant fleet.

The Australian Department of Defence (DOD) will now proceed with the next stage of the procurement process with MHI, with the aim to enter early into binding, commercial contracts with MHI and the government of Japan in 2026.

This accelerated programme will see the first three frigates built in Japan – with the first scheduled to be delivered to Australia in 2029 and operational in 2030 while the third is expected to enter service by 2034. Meaning the RAN will receive its first new surface combatant five years earlier than previously planned. The remaining eight ships will then be built in Australia by Austal.

Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles said, “The upgraded Mogami-class frigate will help secure our maritime trade routes and our northern approaches as part of a larger and more lethal naval surface combatant fleet. We thank both Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), as well as the governments of Japan and Germany for their focus and cooperation throughout this procurement process.”

An MHI release read, “In November 2024, the Australian government selected the upgraded Mogami-class frigate (4,800 ton type) as one of the candidates for Australia’s new general-purpose frigates. MHI has been developing, designing, and constructing the Mogami-class frigate since 2018, and based on a proposal made in 2023, has been selected as the main contractor of the upgraded Mogami-class frigate (4,800-ton type) for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). We believe that the decision made by the Australian government is based on its evaluation of our frigate’s proven performance, reliability, technology, and capabilities, multi-functionality suitable for various roles including anti-submarine, anti-aircraft, and anti-surface warfare, as well as reduced manpower requirements compared to conventional frigates, and scalability to easily enhance capabilities in the future.” -shp/adj/dl (Pix:DOD)