Japan Eyes Muscling Up Australia's Rebuilding Navy

Japan plans to build 22 Mogami-class frigates, with eight in the first batch, each costing approximately US$452.7 million. The ships boast a stealth design derived from MHI's ATD-X Shinshin stealth fighter research, aiming to enhance affordability, miniaturization, automation and versatility.

With a standard displacement of around 3,900 tons, the 130-meter long and 16-meter wide Mogami-class is relatively small but highly capable. It features an advanced integrated combat information center (CIC), augmented reality technology and the ability to deploy various unmanned vehicles and a helicopter.

Armaments include a BAE Systems Mark 45 naval gun, Mk 41 VLS for missiles, anti-ship missiles and Raytheon's SeaRAM system. The sensor suite comprises multifunction radar, EO/IR sensors, AESA radar, sonar systems and a combat management system.

Powered by a CODAG propulsion system with a Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbine and MAN diesel engines, the frigate can exceed 30 knots.

Japan's export of Mogami-class frigates would bolster an already budding naval partnership with Australia, security exports notes.

In a March 2024 Lowy Institute article , Peter Dan says that Japan and Australia have comparable security strategies in which they prioritize a multipolar Indo-Pacific order, deterrence by denial and a regional balancing strategy centered on US allies and partners.

Dan notes using identical types of ships would enhance this alignment. In terms of capability, Dan says that the frigates are designed to operate the MH-60 Seahawk helicopter, which the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is committed to acquiring to ensure compatibility with existing RAN operations.

He mentions that the Mogami-class can operate as a“mother ship” for unmanned underwater and surface vehicles, aligning with the changing character of naval warfare and the RAN's decision to develop optionally crewed vessels.

In addition, he mentions the Mogami-class could bring significant savings in maintenance, sustainment and future enhancements through economies of scale.

However, Dan points out that Japan does not have a strong defense export record, meaning it may still have to build complex relationships and processes to export the Mogami-class frigate.

Building Mogami-class frigates in Australia would raise several challenges, including funding gaps and workforce limitations. Delays and budget overruns have marked past Australian shipbuilding projects.

Dan Darling notes in a Defense One article this month that there's uncertainty about whether Australia's ambitious shipbuilding program will receive the necessary funding, with much of the estimated $35 billion envisioned still unfunded.

Darling mentions that Australia's shipbuilding workforce is limited, raising concerns about meeting delivery deadlines and maintaining enough skilled labor to avoid the so-called“Valley of Death” - a cycle of boom and bust in orders that affects worker retention and industrial know-how.

He says past defense projects have experienced delays and budget overruns, and there's worry that these issues could recur, affecting the timely delivery of new ships.

In line with that, Darling says that as Australia retires older ships and new ships face delays, there's a concern about the immediate reduction in warship capacity before the long-term expansion takes effect.

Despite that, he says the Australian government aims to avoid the mistakes of previous big-ticket defense projects, which have suffered from various production and post-delivery problems.

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Darling also notes the need for skilled personnel to operate hi-tech platforms and use other emerging technologies.

In addition, he says that Australia's shipbuilding program must align with its strategic needs, given China's People's Liberation Army – Navy's (PLA-N) rising capabilities.

While Japan has maintained a pacifist foreign policy since the end of World War II, the possibility of exporting Mogami-class frigates to Australia may be perceived as an abrupt change in this longstanding stance.

Highlighting the policy implications of Japan's possible export of Mogami-class frigates, Sato Heigo notes in a March 2024 Nippon article that Japan's new arms export policy doesn't clarify how the transfer of conventional weaponry will contribute to regional deterrence, juxtaposing it with the vague goal of“creating a desirable security environment.”

Heigo notes that debates continue on whether to allow military equipment co-developed with other countries to be re-exported to third countries. Those debates may influence the outcome of other planned Mogami-class frigate exports, particularly to Indonesia, which has plans to acquire eight such ships .

Heigo notes that the new policy suggests a more proactive stance on arms exports but emphasizes that Japan must balance this with its pacifist national identity. He also notes that there is domestic opposition on ethical grounds to the possibility of Japanese-made weapons being used in conflicts elsewhere.