Mogami Evolved Frigates for the Royal Australian Navy

The Royal Australian Navy Chooses the Mogami Evolved Frigate

In Australia, Premier Anthony Albanese’s Government announced that Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) has been selected to commence the next phase of the procurement process for new Australian multipurpose frigates, choosing the updated Mogami-class frigate as the preferred platform by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

In November 2024, the Canberra Government selected the updated Mogami-class frigate (type 4,800 tons), as one of the candidates for the new Australian multirole frigates.

The Japanese MHI has developed, designed and built the Mogami-class frigate since 2018 for the needs of the Tokyo Navy and, on the basis of a proposal submitted in 2023, it was chosen as the main contractor for the updated Mogami-class frigate (type 4,800 tons) for the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).

MHI believes that the Australian Government’s decision is based on the assessment of the proven performance, reliability, technology and capability of the new frigate, its multi-functionality suitable for various roles, including antisubmarine, antiaircraft, and anti-ship warfare, reduced manpower requirements compared to conventional frigates and its scalability for easy capacity upgrade in the future.

The Australian Program for the Mogami Evolved Frigates

MHI has announced that it will continue to collaborate with the Japanese Government and companies involved in the construction of these frigates to respond to the Australian Government’s selection process and submit a proactive proposal for the final selection.

Furthermore, it is expected that extensive participation of Japanese and Australian industries in the multipurpose frigates will strengthen the development of human resources in science and technology, as well as the defense industry infrastructure in both countries.

The Australian program provides for the construction of eleven new Mogami Evolved type frigates, with the first three units being built in Japan to speed up construction and deployment times by the RAN, and the remaining eight ships to be built in Australia with Japanese assistance.

Source and image credit @Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI)