Japan’s Minister of Defense, together with Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, agreed this morning in Melbourne to begin the acquisition process for the first three upgraded Mogami-class frigates intended for the Royal Australian Navy. The officials signed a contractual document aimed at the construction of the aforementioned vessels by the shipyard Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, with plans to incorporate a total of eleven units.
According to the Australian government, “…the signing of the contract was marked by the signature of the ‘Mogami Memorandum’ by Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and his counterpart, Japanese Minister of Defense Koizumi Shinjirō, reaffirming the shared commitment of the Australian and Japanese governments to the successful delivery of the General Purpose Frigates to Australia and to greater cooperation in the defense industry…”.
It is worth recalling that in August 2026, Australia’s Department of Defence announced that it had selected Japan’s proposal to equip the Royal Australian Navy with the new Mogami-class frigates. At that time, the Australian ministry emphasized that the selection process had been completed ahead of schedule, given the need to move forward with acquisition projects required to keep capabilities up to date.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ Mogami-class frigate (MHI) prevailed over the proposal submitted by the German shipbuilder Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, which had offered its MEKO A-200 model for the Royal Australian Navy’s General Purpose Frigate program.
Once the contracts are signed, the first Australian upgraded Mogami-class frigate is expected to be delivered in 2029. Australia will participate, together with the Japanese government and industry, in the construction of future vessels in Western Australia, “…once the Henderson Defence Precinct is consolidated, in line with the Government’s commitment to continuous naval shipbuilding…”, the ministry detailed.
Upgraded Mogami-class frigate
The upgraded Mogami-class General Purpose Frigate will incorporate several modifications compared to the variant currently in service with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. These changes are based on the Royal Australian Navy’s requirements regarding some of the main systems, which has generated some uncertainty about the impact of these modifications.
According to the Australian Department of Defence, the upgraded Mogami-class frigates will have a range of up to 10,000 nautical miles. Their crew will consist of only 92 personnel, including sailors and officers. In terms of firepower, the vessels will be equipped with a 32-cell missile launch system for anti-air missiles, in addition to anti-ship missiles. From their flight deck, they will be able to operate MH-60R Seahawk multi-role helicopters, aircraft already in service with the Navy.
Cover image for illustrative purposes. Credits: RAN – Danyellah Hill
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