The Australian government has announced the selection of Japan’s upgraded Mogami-class frigate as the preferred platform for the Royal Australian Navy’s next-generation general purpose surface combatants.
The decision, revealed on August 5, moves Canberra into the next stage of negotiations with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and the Japanese government.
According to the Albanese government, the selection followed a competitive evaluation process, with MHI’s offering assessed as best meeting Australia’s urgent maritime defense requirements.
“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,” said Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles in a statement.
Designed to boost Australia’s sea power, the selected variant features an extended range of 10,000 nautical miles, a 32-cell Vertical Launch System, and the capacity to carry both surface-to-air and anti-ship missiles. The class is engineered to operate with reduced crew and includes stealth shaping and advanced sensors.
The Australian Department of Defence said the Mogami-class will replace the aging Anzac-class frigates and serve in conjunction with the existing Hobart-class destroyers and Hunter-class frigates. The new vessels will be capable of both air defense and undersea warfare.
Pat Conroy, Minister for Defence Industry, emphasized the step change in capability. “It will take our general purpose frigates from being able to fire 32 air defence missiles to 128 missiles,” he said. “This decision comes months ahead of schedule, reinforcing our commitment to deliver capability at speed and at a lower overall cost to taxpayers.”
Under current plans, the first three frigates will be constructed in Japan and delivered between 2029 and 2030, years ahead of the timeline set by the previous government. The remainder of the fleet will be built at the consolidated Henderson precinct in Western Australia.
“This announcement is another example of the Albanese Government’s focus on investing in the capabilities we need now and into the future,” Marles said.
Germany’s Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), which had proposed its MEKO A-200 platform, was also acknowledged by Defence for its “competitive, high-quality proposal” and professionalism during the tender process.
The Mogami-class, operated by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, is part of a broader modernization effort among U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific region. By selecting the Japanese platform, Australia is reinforcing strategic cooperation with Tokyo at a time of heightened concern over maritime security and regional competition.
The Albanese government said the selection aligns with its $55 billion investment strategy for the Navy’s surface combatant fleet over the next decade. That effort includes a broader plan to more than double the size of Australia’s surface fleet and sustain up to 10,000 high-skilled defense industry jobs.
Final commercial agreements with MHI are expected to be signed in 2026. Defence says the accelerated timeline reflects “a commitment to delivering new capability at speed, without compromising strategic outcomes or industry involvement.”
The upgraded frigates will integrate seamlessly with current Royal Australian Navy platforms and enhance interoperability with allied navies, including Japan and the United States.
“This is about ensuring our sailors have the cutting-edge weapons and combat systems they need to prevail in an increasingly complex environment,” Conroy said.