Australia Selects Japanese Mogami-Class Platform For New General Purpose Frigates
The Australian Department of Defence has selected and is proceeding with the procurement of Japanese Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ upgraded Mogami class frigates. The new frigates are set to become the Royal Australian Navy’s new fleet of general purpose frigates, replacing the current Anzac-class frigate platform under the SEA 3000 Frigate Program.
The first three frigates are to be built in Japan, and are set to be delivered and operational by 2030. The rest are to be constructed domestically at the consolidated Henderson shipyard, Western Australia.
The move follows delays and cost overruns in the troubled Hunter-class frigate program and reflects growing urgency to modernise Australia’s surface fleet and close the capability gap with the first Hunter frigates not expected to arrive until 2034.
The upgraded Mogami frigate has a range of up to 10,000 nautical miles and displaces around 6,200 tonnes at full load. It is equipped with a comprehensive suite of weapons and sensors, including surface-to-air and anti-ship missile capability, 32 vertical-launch missile cells, and the impressive Advanced Integrated combat information centre (CIC). The Mogami is also designed to be a more efficient vessel for the Navy, needing only around 90 personnel compared to the Anzac frigates’ 120 due to extensive automation.
Australia’s decision to procure the Mogami is a first in the Australia-Japan bilateral defence relationship. This is the first time Australia will acquire a major Japanese-designed warship, and in a major milestone it is the first frigate Japan will manufacture for another nation.
The procurement is expected to “help secure [Australia’s] maritime trade routes and our northern approaches” according to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles. However, Marles’ comments have been met with criticism that the ships will be useful for deployment in “lower-threat environments such as the Pacific Islands region” but no more beyond that, according to the Lowy Institute.
Defence is yet to sign any formal contracts with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, however, is on track for its accelerated timeline for the procurement of the general-purpose frigates, in line with the 2024 Independent Analysis of Navy’s Surface Combatant Fleet.