August 6, 2025
TOKYO – Australia has chosen Japan as its partner in developing a new model of warship, according to announcements by both countries’ governments on Tuesday.
Canberra plans to follow Tokyo’s proposal that they develop a model based on the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Mogami-class frigate. It will be Japan’s second time to export fully assembled defense hardware, after it provided an air defense radar system to the Philippines.
Defense Minister Gen Nakatani welcomed the decision at a press conference Tuesday. “Trust in Japan’s advanced technology and the importance of interoperability between Japan and Australia led to a favorable assessment,” he said.
In a statement on why Japan was chosen, the Australian government said that the upgraded model based on the Mogami class “was assessed as best able to quickly meet the capability requirements and strategic needs of the Australian Defence Force.”
The new model will be manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. As with Mogami-class frigates, the new warships will have superior stealth capabilities.
The new ships will have a partially automated navigation system and be operable by a crew of about 90 people. That is half as many crew members as required for conventional MSDF frigates.
The new frigates will be larger than Mogami-class ships and will be able to hold more cells for launching anti-aircraft and other kinds of missiles. It will also be easier to use U.S.-made missiles. The Australian government is thought to have praised such points.
Australia will deploy 11 of the new warships, with its spending expected to go as high as 1 billion Australian dollars (about ¥950 billion).
According to the Australian government, its first three ships will be built in Japan and the remaining ones will be built in Australia. It will receive its first frigate in 2029, and it is to be operational in 2030.
Under the guidelines for the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology, Japan can only export fully assembled defense equipment when it is intended for rescue, transportation, vigilance, surveillance or minesweeping. While Japan cannot normally export warships with high-level attack capabilities, joint development offers a way to circumvent these rules.
Japan and Australia, which are both allies of the United States, have deepened defense cooperation in recent years as China has grown more forceful on the seas. The two countries have also conducted joint drills of the SDF and Canberra’s military.
With Australia deploying the same model warships as Japan, the two countries will be able to cooperate in operations, repairs and maintenance.
In February 2024, the Australian government announced that it would replace some of its aged warships with those of a new model. It named Japan, Spain, South Korea and Germany as candidates for providing the new warships, and in November it narrowed the list down to Japan and Germany.