Japan is preparing formal talks to sell the upgraded configuration of its homegrown Mogami-class multi-mission stealth frigate to New Zealand, with defense leaders from both countries expected to plan the proposal later this month.
Japan is preparing formal talks to sell the upgraded configuration of its homegrown Mogami-class multi-mission stealth frigate to New Zealand, with defense leaders from both countries expected to plan the proposal later this month.
Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi is expected to meet with his New Zealand counterpart Chris Penk on the sidelines of a multinational security forum in Singapore to explore the potential export, according to Kyodo News.
Currently, Wellington is weighing the Mogami design against the UK’s Type 31 Inspiration-class frigate as it considers future naval procurement plans.
At the event, Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles is expected to back Tokyo’s proposal ahead of Wellington’s final decision.
Marles is also set to discuss broader defense cooperation among the three nations to improve interoperability as they deepen security ties in response to China’s growing maritime activity in the Indo-Pacific.
That meeting would mark the first trilateral talks among the three defense ministers, sources noted.
The update follows Canberra’s April decision to acquire 11 warships based on Japan’s Mogami-class frigate design.
Japan’s FFM Frigate
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force is currently acquiring 12 next-generation variants of the proven Mogami-class vessel, each equipped with advanced radar, sonar, and explosives-clearing capabilities typically handled by minehunters.
The upgraded platform, also called the FFM system, will span 142 meters (466 feet) in length and have a beam of 17 meters (56 feet).
It will incorporate a 32-cell Mark 41 vertical launch system, doubling the 16 cells of the earlier frigates to enhance lethality alongside air defense and anti-ship missiles, torpedoes, and naval artillery.
The FFM will sail with a combined diesel and gas propulsion set, also found in the standard Mogamis, and will be able to carry up to 90 troops and one patrol helicopter.
Tokyo is expected to admit the first two FFMs into service in 2028, with the entire fleet projected to be completed by 2032.
