Japan Launches Eleventh Mogami Class Multirole Frigate' JS Tatsuta (FFM-11) '

Japan continues its rapid naval modernization by launching the eleventh Mogami-class multirole frigate, named JS Tatsuta (FFM-11), on July 2 at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' Nagasaki Shipyard. The launch is part of Tokyo’s strategic push to reinforce its maritime defense capabilities against growing regional threats from China and Russia in the East China Sea and broader Indo-Pacific.

The JS Tatsuta is the latest in a planned fleet of 12 compact but heavily armed frigates being built for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). These warships are being designed for high-speed deployment, multi-role capability, and cost-efficiency—all critical in defending Japan’s remote southwestern island chain and maintaining control over contested areas such as the Senkaku Islands.

The ship is named after the Tatsuta River in Nara Prefecture, following the JMSDF tradition of naming the Mogami-class ships after Japan’s Class A rivers. The Tatsuta is the third naval vessel in Japanese history to carry the name.

Technical Features of the JS Tatsuta (FFM-11)

The Mogami-class ships represent Japan’s first implementation of a Combined Diesel and Gas (CODAG) propulsion system, blending fuel efficiency with high performance. The Tatsuta is powered by:

• 2× MAN 12V28/33D STC diesel engines

• 1× Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbine

This advanced propulsion allows the 3,900-tonne ship to reach speeds exceeding 30 knots, making it one of the fastest ships in its class.

Key dimensions and features include:

• Length: 133 meters

• Beam: 16.3 meters

• Draught: 9 meters

• Crew: Approx. 90 personnel

• Estimated cost: ¥58.3 billion (about $406 million USD)

• Expected commissioning: By the end of fiscal year 2026

Armament and Sensor Suite

Despite its relatively compact size, the JS Tatsuta is equipped with an impressive array of weapons and electronic systems, giving it formidable capability across surface, subsurface, and aerial domains:

• 1× BAE Systems 127mm Mk 45 Mod 4 naval gun

• 2× 12.7mm Remote Weapon Stations

• 16-cell Mk 41 Vertical Launch System (VLS) for surface-to-air and anti-submarine missiles

• 1× Raytheon SeaRAM close-in defense system

• 2× 4-tube MHI Type 17 (SSM-2) anti-ship missile launchers

• Mitsubishi OPY-2 multifunction radar and OAX-3 EO/IR sensors

• Hitachi OQQ-11 anti-mine sonar

• NEC OQQ-25 towed sonar for anti-submarine warfare

• UUV (OZZ-5) and USV (JMU Defense) for mine countermeasures

• Sea mines for offensive mining

The ship's design supports a wide range of missions including maritime patrol, mine warfare, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and surface strike—all with a reduced crew size, thanks to automation.

Strategic Importance and Australian Frigate Bid

With tensions escalating in the Indo-Pacific, especially around Taiwan and the East China Sea, Japan is enhancing patrols and surveillance along its southwestern island chain that stretches over 1,200 kilometers. China’s naval build-up and joint drills with Russia have only intensified Tokyo’s focus on rapid naval expansion.

Interestingly, the Mogami-class is also making waves abroad. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has offered an upgraded version of the Mogami-class, referred to as the “New FFM,” for Australia’s SEA3000 General-Purpose Frigate program. Japan and Germany’s TKMS (offering the MEKO A-200) are currently the final two contenders.

Australia is expected to choose a design by the end of 2025, with the first ships built in either Japan or Germany and the remaining constructed in Western Australia. Japan sees this as a key strategic partnership, not just a business deal, and hopes to use the opportunity to deepen military-industrial ties with Canberra.

If selected, it would be Japan’s first major defense export of a surface combatant and a landmark moment for its re-emerging role in global defense cooperation.

With the Tatsuta now afloat, and one final Mogami-class frigate yet to be launched, Japan is nearing the completion of one of its most ambitious naval programs in decades. As the region faces mounting security challenges, these agile, heavily armed ships are set to play a central role in maintaining peace and deterrence in the Indo-Pacific.