Japanese shipbuilder Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) prominently displayed a model of the “Upgraded Mogami”, known in Japan as 06FFM, brandishing a red kangaroo at Indo Pacific 2025. The showcase underscored MHI recently gaining preferred builder-status in the SEA 3000 general purpose frigate requirement for the Royal Australian Navy. Discussions by Naval News with relevant officials confirmed further change for the Upgraded Mogami in Australian Service.
Defence media Janes was the first outlet last week to report via confirmation by Japanese industry officials that the Australian variant of the “Upgraded Mogami” would receive the Kongsberg NSM antiship missile. Japanese variants for both Mogami and “Upgraded Mogami”, called 06FFM in Japan, instead carry the indigenous Type 17 AShM for this role. In July last year Naval News had reported that the Japanese government was soliciting the integration of NSM into warship designs in operation with JMSDF.
Australian 06FFM integrates ESSM and Mk 54 torpedos
As Naval News can now reveal, Australia and Japan have decided on further weapons-adaptions for SEA 3000. The Australian ships will operate the ESSM medium range air defence missile instead of the Japanese A-SAM medium to long range-missile. Japan will integrate A-SAM as the default air defence capability into 06FFM-combatants for JMSDF. Japanese officials at MHI and Rear Admiral Hughes both outlined this change in conversation with Naval News. Minister for the Defence Industry Pat Conroy hinted at ESSM-integration back in August this year, stating that the new frigates can carry up to 128 air defence missiles. The 32 cell Mk 41 on 06FFM can carry four ESSM per cell due to quad-packing the missile.
Additionally, the hull mounted triple torpedo launchers on the RAN-variant will use the American Mk 54-torpedo, instead of the Japanese Type 97, as Naval News also confirmed with industry officials. For the record, Eurotorp’s MU90 lightweight torpedo has been selected for both the in-service Hobart-class and the future Hunter-class.
Japanese industry officials emphasise political considerations for arms exports
Interestingly, MHI-officials emphasise that Japan will not export domestically designed weapons, including to Australia for SEA 3000, based on political principles. It is worth noting in this regard that while the country does pursue a heavily restricted arms export policy, there is no outright prohibition to sell the weapon systems in question to foreign partners. Furthermore, successive Japanese governments have taken steps to further ease related laws in order to pursue increased arms export opportunities, including with Canberra.
In a likely related development the Japanese government recently solicited industry bids on integration of ESSM on “Non AEGIS” combatants. The event is very likely a nod to the 06FFM-acquisition by Australia. The new frigate-design, similarly to the preceding Mogami-class, will utilise the Mitsubishi Electric OYQ-1 combat management system. The OYQ-1 is a bespoke Japanese development which Mitsubishi Electric (MELCO) adapted for the unique 360 degree Combat Information Centre (CIC) onboard both Mogami and 06FFM.
Questions over further weapons integration
More questions on changes for Upgraded Mogami in Australian service remain. Australian Minister for Defence Industry, in August also claimed that the OYQ-1 CMS is a Lockheed Martin-product which Japan acquired for the Mogami-class. It is not apparent what information Conroy bases his assertion on.
The minister in the same event stated that Upgraded Mogami will be able to launch SM-2-, SM-6- and Tomahawk missiles. The “strike length”-Mk 41 VLS on 06FFM can accommodate these types. However, similar to ESSM or NSM those weapons require integration with the OYQ-1 CMS. Integration typically also requires further changes, such as wiring on launchers. So far no public statements by Japan suggest the country is pursuing such integration.
Unchanged from the Japanese specification are the Mk 45 main gun and the SeaRAM short range air defence system. Australia is already an operator of the Mk 45 onbhoard both the Anzac- and Hobart-class combatants. SeaRAM is a new addition to the RAN. Naval News understands that Australia is also considering more widespread adaption of the RIM 116 Rolling Airframe Missile-system. The RAN considers introducing RAM to replace the Phalanx CIWS presently in service across the fleet. In this context the Hunter-class frigate will be the first new combatant to feature RAM instead of Phalanx from the start. The step intends to address concerns over increasing airborne threats. Replacing Phalanx with RAM would mirror American efforts along the same lines. Unlike SeaRAM the 21 round-Mk 144 launcher directly integrates into onboard sensors for improved range and accuracy.
Upgraded Mogami and “Zero change” – from a certain point of view
The various changes and confusion around Australian government official statements on the configuration of Australian 06FFM-frigates pose certain questions regarding the “zero change”-approach regularly touted by Australian officials as key characteristic of the program to save time and money.
Rear Admiral Hughes at the Combined Naval Event in Farnborough in 2024 emphasised how a zero change-approach was the only way to achieve a contract under SEA 3000 by 2026, and the first frigate handed over to RAN by 2029. At the same time the Australian government never clearly defined, what “zero change”, also termed as “no change”, “minimum change” or “out of the box”-acquisition of a relevant foreign design mandated for specifications on the SEA 3000 frigate-design.
When asked about relevant standards at Farnborough last year, Rear Admiral Hughes then seemed to avoid a direct answer, replying “…whatever we choose, whatever standard we go with, we’re going to adopt that. We’re going to have discipline around that capability.” The implicit characterisation in contrast to previous procurements, including the ANZAC-class due for replacement, was that Australia would compromise on localisation, instead selecting a foreign specification as new standard to expedite procurement for RAN.
At Indo Pacific 2025 Rear Admiral Hughes notes a “redundancy in the types of weapon systems” baked into the 06FFM-design. The head of Naval Capability bases this view on the fact that the ship uses the Mk 41-VLS. Furthermore Hughes emphasises the “heritage” of 06FFM’s OYQ-1 CMS. The CMS-remark appears to touch on Conroy’s earlier assertion of the MELCO-produced CMS being an American design. The formulations appear to frame Australian changes for Upgraded Mogami, integrating ESSM and NSM as being in line with the “no/zero change”-aspiration on SEA 3000.
Plus ça change…
Remarks as outlined above leave significant room for speculation. However, it now seems apparent that Australia will change the existing Japanese configuration of the Upgraded Mogami.
Naval News in previous articles described how a certain degree of customisation is difficult to avoid. Reasons for this are technical and organisationial limitations in absorbing a foreign specification for complex systems such as warships.
It now seems likely that Australia will pursue a line of naval acquisition on SEA 3000, that is rather more in line with previous efforts including the original purchase and production of the ANZAC-class. The realities of arms procurement from foreign vendors and integration aspects for an established naval service do act as inherent guardrails limiting the extent to which more radical approaches may impose change.
Civmec displays frigate-building expertise
Meanwhile, Australian shipbuilder Civmec has showcased their naval construction expertise at Indo Pacific, drawing a subtle connection to SEA 3000. The shipyard model on display included two Mogami-class frigates in the final assembly hall of the builder.
Civmec-government relations manager Sam Webb underlined the company’s expertise as established builder of all steel-warships in conversation with Naval News. Webb notes how Civmec is one of two builders in Australia with this level of competency. The other example is BAE Systems Maritime in Osborne, South Australia. The distinction may be a nod to Austal Defence Shipbuilding, also based at Henderson. Austal previously established themselves as experts in aluminium-hulled designs. The company has since transitioned into building steel-hulled patrol boats of the Guardian-class.
SEA 3000 adding to naval shipbuilding pressures in Henderson
Austal Defence Shipbuilding has recently signed the so-called Strategic Shipbuilding Agreement (SSA) with the Australian government. The company is already involved in two major naval build programs. Under the LAND 8710-program Austal has recently assumed design authority on the delayed 18 hull-strong Landing Craft Medium-requirement. Austal is also pursuing a contract to build 8 Landing Craft Heavy, based the Damen LST-1000 selected by the Australian government as the preferred design in 2024. The SSA provides the framework to facilitate construction of up to eight “Upgraded Mogami”-frigates in Australia.
The Australian government and Austal have yet to determine exact construction arrangements. Considering the aforementioned landing ship-orders, Austal Defence Shipbuilding would seem to face considerable demand for additional building capacity. With their display at Indo Pacific Civmec therefore seems well-positioned to offer a solution allowing the RAN to stay on time and budget executing several complex naval shipbuilding efforts in the near future.
Watch Naval News editor-in-chief Xavier Vavasseur interview with RADM Hughes during Indo Pacific 2025: