The Japanese Ministry of Defense (MoD) will acquire a total of 12 new FFMs that will succeed the Mogami-class FFM for the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) in coming five years, a spokesperson at the Japanese Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) revealed to Naval News on November 2.
The Mogami class, which has a standard displacement of 3900 tons with a full load displacement of about 5500 tons, is currently being built at a high pace of two ships per year both at shipbuilder Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI)’ facility in Nagasaki City on the island of Kyushu and its subsidiary Maritime Systems’ facility in Tamano City of Okayama Prefecture.
The JMSDF had originally planned to build a total of 22 Mogami-class frigates as Tokyo ramps up efforts to strengthen the country’s naval forces. However, it has decided to now procure a total of only 12 such frigates until the current fiscal year (FY) 2023, with plans to construct a new class of 12 warships from 2024 until 2028. The new frigates will essentially be improved Mogami-class ships that are set to be built to the design proposed by MHI.
In August, the JMSDF also requested 174.7 billion yen ($1.16 billion) to build two New FFMs for fiscal year 2024.
The latest move reflects the increasingly stern security environment around Japan. As neighboring China expands the activities and capabilities of its naval forces, Tokyo plans to defend the southwestern Nansei Islands, including the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea, by increasing surveillance missions in Japanese coastal waters. The Senkakau/Diaoyu Islands are controlled by Japan but also claimed by China and Taiwan.
As previously reported by Naval News, the 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 SSM and the new ship-to-air guided missile (or simply A-SAM) will be equipped with the new-class FFM, defense officials said.
With better anti-aircraft and search capabilities, the new FFM may become closer to the FFG (missile frigate).
In August, the defense minister decided MHI will be the prime contractor and Japan Marine United (JMU) will be the subcontractor for the New FFM program.
The MoD documents, released by the MoD on August 31, said the new-class FFM has a standard displacement of 4,500 tons. Meanwhile, according to MHI’s proposal of the new-class FFM, which was officially released by ATLA on August 25, the new warship class will feature a heavier standard displacement of about 4,880 tons, a greater overall length of about 142 m, and a wider overall beam of about 17 m. The new vessels have a top speed of more than 30 kt.
In comparison, the Mogami-class has an overall length of 132.5 m, an overall beam of 16.3 m, and displaces about 3,900 tons at standard loads.
Despite the fact the new class will be bigger than Mogami-class, defense officials said the new class’s crew complement will be only 90, the same as that of the Mogami-class. To achieve this, Japanese naval planners have likely incorporated the new class with a higher level of automation and deployed extensive lean-manning concepts throughout the vessel.
ATLA also revealed to Naval News that 12 ships(護衛艦), which are mentioned in Japan’s new Defense Buildup Program approved in December 2022 to provide the next five to 10 years acquisition plan for the Japan Self-Defense, are all new FFMs. Until now, there had been some widespread speculation that Japan would begin construction of two more Maya-class destroyer (DDG) equipped with the Aegis system or two upgraded DDGs sometime in the next five years, based on the new Defense Buildup Program. But all this speculation has been now denied by ATLA’s revelation to Naval News this time.