The eighth of the new Mogami-class stealth frigates has been commissioned into service with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force

Against the backdrop of the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries shipyard in Tamano, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force held the commissioning ceremony for the eighth unit of its new Mogami-class stealth frigates. The vessel, with a displacement of 3,900 tons, has been named JS Yubetsu, in honor of the river bearing the same name, and will be assigned to the 15th Escort Division, based at Ōminato Naval Station in Aomori Prefecture—becoming the first ship of its class to be deployed to that base.

The delivery and commissioning of the eighth Mogami-class frigate comes shortly after the recent induction of the seventh unit, JS Niyodo (FFM-7), this past May. This is a notable development, as both ships are the first in the class to be equipped with the new Mk 41 vertical launch system (VLS), which will also be retrofitted onto the six earlier vessels already in service.

It is also worth noting that, like JS Niyodo, JS Yubetsu was originally scheduled to enter service during fiscal year 2024. However, its construction—which began in November 2023—was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain disruptions affecting the availability of semiconductors critical to the frigate’s various onboard systems.

Among other recently reported developments, and in light of the commissioning of these two new ships just a month apart, progress has also been made on the construction of JS Natori and JS Nagara, the ninth and tenth ships of the Mogami class. Their deliveries are expected by the end of this year and the beginning of the next, respectively.

Additionally, the recent decision to proceed with a new series of frigates for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force is significant. These vessels—based on the current Mogami-class design—will incorporate a range of improvements and are currently referred to under the provisional name “Improved Mogami.”

According to a recent contract award by the Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) of the Japanese Ministry of Defense to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), the company has been tasked with constructing two of these “Improved Mogami” frigates, along with a new replenishment vessel—representing a combined investment of $1.03 billion.

Finally, while some preliminary details have been shared in public exhibitions and presentations by MHI, the new “Improved Mogami” frigates are expected to displace approximately 4,900 tons and feature a hull length of 142 meters and a beam of 17 meters, compared to the 17.4-meter beam of the current class.

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