Overview

• Under a A$10 billion deal, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will supply 11 Mogami-class frigates to replace the ageing ANZAC-class fleet and expand Australia’s surface combatant capacity.
• The first three vessels will be constructed in Japan with handover slated for late 2029, and binding commercial terms are being finalised this year.
• Eight additional frigates will be built at Henderson Defence Precinct in Western Australia, bolstering the domestic shipbuilding industry.
• Each Mogami frigate boasts a 10,000-nautical-mile range, 32-cell vertical launch system and automation that reduces crew requirements to 90 sailors.
• This contract is Canberra’s largest naval purchase since the 2023 AUKUS submarine agreement and marks Japan’s first major warship export since before World War II.