Australia locks in major defence deal
Australia has officially signed a contract with Japan for the first three new general-purpose frigates to join the navy’s future fleet, confirming a major defense purchase that has been negotiated for months.
The ships will be built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries using the upgraded Mogami-class design and are scheduled to be delivered to the Royal Australian Navy from 2029.
According to the agreement, the first three ships will be built in Japan, with subsequent ships expected to be built at the Henderson Defense Site in Western Australia after the site is consolidated.
The signing of the contract was marked by the signing of the Mogami Memorandum between Australia and Japan, formalizing cooperation on the program and wider defense industry links.
The new ships are part of a long-term plan to expand the navy’s surface warfare fleet, following an independent review that recommended the rapid acquisition of 11 light frigates to replace aging Anzac-class ships and increase missile capacity.
The upgraded Mogami-class frigates are designed to travel up to 10,000 nautical miles and will be equipped with a 32-cell vertical launch system, surface-to-air and anti-ship missiles, and the ability to operate the Navy’s MH-60R Seahawk maritime combat helicopter. There will be 92 personnel on each ship.
Future construction in Western Australia is expected to form part of a wider pipeline of defense spending over the next two decades, with thousands of jobs predicted to be linked to naval shipbuilding in the state.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said the purchase was part of wider defense planning.
“The acquisition of the Mogami-class upgraded frigates demonstrates that the Government of Albania is focused on investing in the capabilities we need to keep Australians safe,” Mr Marles said.
“Our surface fleet is more important than it has been in decades. These general-purpose frigates will help secure our maritime trade routes and northern approaches as part of a larger and more lethal surface warfare fleet.”
Defense Industry Minister Pat Conroy said the contract was the “fastest peacetime procurement for the Royal Australian Navy”.
“We are working closely with Japanese and Australian industry partners as we acquire one of the most, if not the most advanced general purpose frigates in the world,” Mr Conroy said.
“We are rapidly delivering on these commitments, supporting and creating jobs for Australians and deepening Australia’s industrial base.
The total cost of the frigate program is expected to reach tens of billions of dollars over the next decade, but the final figure remains uncertain.
