Australia's Major Frigate Purchase from Japan Reshapes Royal Australian Navy's Fleet Strategy

Summary

Australia has signed a landmark defense agreement with Japan under Project Sea 3000 to acquire three upgraded Mogami-class frigates for the Royal Australian Navy, with an additional eight vessels to be constructed in Western Australia. The deal, signed aboard JS Kumano in Melbourne, represents Japan's largest-ever defense export and marks a significant step in strategic alignment between the two nations, with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries leading construction of the 4,800-ton warships. The total shipbuilding program is expected to cost up to A$20 billion (approximately US$14.4 billion) over the next decade, double the figure projected two years ago, with the first frigate scheduled for delivery by December 2029. The acquisition is considered critically urgent, as the RAN currently operates only ten surface combatants — three Hobart-class destroyers and seven Anzac-class frigates — representing the smallest fleet since World War II. Navy officials emphasize that the highly automated Mogami frigates will represent a generational leap in capability, featuring advanced weaponry including ESSM Block 2 missiles, Naval Strike Missiles, and MK 54 torpedoes, while Australia and Japan will ultimately operate a combined fleet of 35 Mogami-class frigates.