Japanese shipbuilder Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has launched the latest frigate, the tenth of a planned fleet of 12 Mogami-class multirole frigates, for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).
Named Nagara, the 133 meter-long vessel (pennant number FFM-10) entered the water in a ceremony held on December 19 at the company’s Nagasaki Shipyard and Machinery Works in Nagasaki Prefecture. It is expected to enter service with the JMSDF in March 2026.
The newest frigate was named after the Nagara River in central Japan, which was also the name of the lead ship of the Nagara class of light cruiser in the Imperial Japanese Navy.
Equipped with compact hulls, JS Nagara is being built for about 51.4 billion yen ($327 million) under a contract awarded in March 2023, according to an MHI press release. As with the other ships of the class, the 3,900-tonne vessel will have a beam of 16.3 meters and a hull draught of 9 m.
As China expands the size and capabilities of its naval and air forces, Japan is striving to defend the southwestern Nansei Islands, including the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea. Part of that efforts includes procuring more compact, missile-laden frigates at a rapid pace to counter its neighbor effectively. The Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands are controlled by Japan but also claimed by China and Taiwan.
In addition, Russia has been increasingly sending naval and air forces to the seas surrounding the Japanese archipelago for both joint exercises with China and its own independent activities.
The Mogami-class frigate, also known as 30FFM, is the JMSDF’s stealthy multi-mission frigate, intended for surveillance missions in waters surrounding Japanese islands. It is equipped with enhanced multirole capabilities, including the ability to conduct anti-mine warfare operations.
Most notably, the Mogami class only needs about 90 crew members (out of whom 10 are female), less than half the crew complement of destroyer-type vessels such as the Asahi class, which has a crew complement of 230 sailors.
Powered by a combined diesel and gas (CODAG) propulsion system featuring two MAN 12V28/33D STC diesel engines and one Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbine, the Mogami-class frigates are expected to be capable of attaining a top speed of more than 30 knots. The Mogami class marks the first instalment of a CODAG system on any JMSDF ship.
The JMSDF plans to build a total of 12 Mogami-class frigates. From fiscal year 2024 to 2028, Japan will earmark funds to acquire the upgraded Mogami-class vessels, called the New FFMs (also known as 06FFM). The first of the upgraded class of frigates is scheduled to be commissioned in fiscal year 2028, and if construction proceeds smoothly, all 12 New FFMs will be in service within by fiscal year 2032.
The Japanese Defense Ministry said the new-class FFM will be fitted with longer-range missiles, enhanced anti-submarine capabilities, and improved capabilities for various maritime operations. Specifically, the ship-launched, improved version of the Type 12 Surface-to-Ship Missile (SSM) and the new ship-to-air guided missile (or simply A-SAM) will be equipped on the New FFM, defense officials said. The number of Mk.41 vertical launching system (VLS) cells, which serve as missile launchers, will also be doubled from 16 on the Mogami class to 32 on the New FFM.
With better anti-aircraft and search capabilities, the New FFM becomes closer to a missile frigate (FFG).
In August 2023, the Defense Ministry’s Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) selected MHI and Japan Marine United as the prime contractor and subcontractor separately to construct the New FFM.
The ministry has earmarked 174 billion yen in in the current fiscal year budget for the construction of first two New FFMs. In August 2024, it requested 314 billion yen to build three New FFMs for the fiscal year 2025 budget.
Requesting construction costs for three New FFMs in one year is very unusual, because the Defense Ministry has so far secured the budget only for either two Mogami-class FFMs or two New FFMs every year. The final budget for fiscal year 2025 will be released next week.