Japanese Government Tells Australia of Willingness to Cooperate in Building Warships; New Model Based on Mogami-Class Frigate

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:24 JST, September 2, 2024

Japan has officially told Australia that it is willing to participate in Canberra’s plan to introduce a new class of warship, according to government sources.

In June, responding to a request from Canberra, the government disclosed technological information to Australia about the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Mogami-class frigate.

The government aims to propose a joint development plan for the new warships based on features of the Mogami-class frigate as it competes with other countries for orders.

The two countries’ foreign and defense ministers are scheduled to hold a “two-plus-two” meeting in Australia on Thursday, where they will likely discuss the joint development plan.

Japan’s Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology allows the government to disclose technological information about defense equipment to other countries.

The government held a meeting of the directors of the National Security Council in June, where it was judged that “joint development with Australia holds strategic importance with regard to China.”

It was decided at the meeting that Japan would disclose technological information to Australia. It is believed that information related to the design, performance and other aspects of the Mogami-class frigate has already been disclosed.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. manufactures the Mogami-class frigate. A crew of about 90 members can operate the frigate, half the numbers of conventional destroyers. The frigate can remove sea mines, so it has a wide range of uses in defense operations.

The Defense Ministry plans to develop the new class of warship jointly with Australia based on the Mogami-class frigate by modifying the ship’s body and installing Australian equipment.

Spain, South Korea and Germany are the other candidates for Australia’s plan, and it is believed that the three countries have already disclosed information about their warships to Canberra.

The Australian government will compare each country’s proposal and narrow down the number of candidates to two possibly by the end of this year.

Spain previously developed guided missile destroyers for the Australian Navy.

South Korea’s public and private sectors have been trying to expand the country’s weapon exports. In May, then South Korean Minister of National Defense Shin Wonsik visited Australia to promote sales of the country’s warships.

For Japan to receive orders, the task will be to comprehensively demonstrate the superiority of its proposal, including the cost.