Japan lands multi-billion dollar deal to build warships for Australia
Photo: Japan to build billions of dollars worth of military ships for Australia (Getty Images)
Japanese company Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has won a tender to build new frigates for the Australian Navy. These are modern Mogami-class frigates, which outperformed their German competitor, Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, according to Reuters.
The contracts are expected to be signed next year. The agreements will be signed between Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the Australian and Japanese governments.
A total of 11 frigates will be ordered, three of which will be built in Japan. The Japanese company made its offer more attractive by proposing that Canberra localize the production of other ships in Australia. The first of the eleven planned frigates will be built in 2029, and its commissioning is planned for 2030.
The Japanese government is actively trying to persuade Australia to purchase Mogami frigates. Tokyo was able to convince Canberra of the advantages of its warship, in particular by offering to localize production.
Mogami-class ships
The full displacement of Mogami-class frigates is about 5,500 tons, with a hull length of 132.5 meters and a width of 16.3 meters. The ships are equipped with a combined diesel-gas turbine power plant, thanks to which the ships can reach speeds of over 30 knots.
For a ship with such a large displacement, the crew size is relatively small – 90 people. This was made possible by a high level of automation on board.
The Mogami's cruising range has been increased to 10,000 nautical miles. The vertical launch system is designed for 32 anti-ship or anti-aircraft missiles. The ship can also carry one multi-purpose helicopter, as well as various underwater unmanned anti-mine warfare vehicles.
Source: Reuters
Australia strengthens its fleet
Australia and the United Kingdom have signed a large-scale agreement to strengthen cooperation in the development and production of nuclear submarines. The agreement will remain in force for 50 years.
In the first stage, Washington is to sell Australia a batch of Virginia-class submarines. The first ones are to be delivered in the early 2030s.
Later, the United Kingdom and Australia will jointly develop and build a new model of nuclear submarines called SSN-Aukus, the first of which should be ready in the early 2040s.
At the same time, the Pentagon has begun reviewing this pact, as the Donald Trump administration seeks to shift more responsibility to its allies and ensure the adequacy of its fleet of US military ships.
The goal of the review is to ensure that allies contribute more to collective security and that America's defense industrial base can meet domestic needs.
