CDR Salamander - Australia is Going Japanese

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has made its decision, and it’s a good one.

Via Mike Yeo at Breaking Defense;

Australia has selected Japan’s improved Mogami-class frigate design for its future fleet of general-purpose frigates, in a deal with further cements ties between the two US Indo-Pacific allies and gives Japan its first major defense export.

“Following a rigorous and competitive tender process, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ Mogami-class frigate was assessed as best able to quickly meet the capability requirements and strategic needs of the Australian Defence Force (ADF),” said the Australian Defence Department in a media release.

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) will acquire 11 frigates under the $10 billion AUS ($6.5 billion US) program, with the first three ships to be built in Japan and the remainder to be built in Western Australia…

…the Japanese design was the best option for the RAN following a rigorous selection process, which saw the Mogami-class beat out competition from German shipbuilder TKMS with its MEKO A200 design.

They made a good choice here. Anyone who has worked with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) knows they are a quality operation.

The Mogami Class at 4,800 tons is a well-equipped multi-mission heavy frigate that brings a lot to the party when it comes to weapons. This version is the “Flight II” that has 32 instead of 16 MK-41 VLS cells.

• 1 × 5 in (127 mm) Mk-45 Mod 4 naval gun

• 8 Type 17 anti-ship missiles

• 1 × SeaRAM

• Type 12 torpedoes

• Simplified mine laying equipment

• 32 × Mk-41 VLS

• 2 × Remote weapon stations

Compare that to the USA’s ‘modified’ FREMM, the 7,300 tons Constellation Class FFG (we think).

• 1 x Mk 110 57 mm gun

• 32 Mark 41 VLS cells with:

• 16 × anti-ship weapons (likely Naval Strike Missile)

• 1 × SeaRAM

• Various machine guns M240 or M2

Well done by Australia. This agreement has a deeper effect on the whole region. The USA has a defense treaty with Japan. The USA also has one with Australia. Japan and Australia do not have one between the two of them, but that’s OK. Should the USA be confronted with a Great Pacific War in the coming years, the smart bet is that we will have the JMSDF supporting out right flank, and RAN covering our left flank. The closer these two nations are with the USA and each other, the better for everyone…and the entire region, really.

This is a significant move for Japan too, stepping into the international defense market like this. Very good.

As a final note, no one has been interested in license building any warships designed by the US Navy since the bureaucracy, processes, leadership, and mindset that washed into our Navy after Goldwater-Nichols’ secondary effects took hold (see Charles F. Adams DDG as well as Knox and OHP frigates). Germany is too far away and has a higher Chinese exposure risk than Japan.

Just a great choice.

Now is the time for the USA to make serious progress with AUKUS to solidify that, yes, the USA can be a reliable partner as well.

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