Japan Strengthens Fleet with Ninth Mogami-Class Frigate to Patrol Disputed Islands.

Japanese shipbuilder Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) launched the ninth Mogami-class guided-missile frigate for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) on June 24, 2024. The ceremony was held at MHI's Nagasaki facilities. This class of frigates, designed for surveillance missions, will operate around the Japanese archipelago, including the contested Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.
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The frigates come equipped with a  127 mm naval gun and a vertical launching system (VLS) for the Type 03 medium-range surface-to-air missile and two quad launchers for anti-ship missiles (Picture source: MHI)

The frigate, soon to be commissioned as JS Natori, is the ninth in a series of twelve Mogami-class frigates intended to replace the aging fleet of Abukuma-class frigates, which have been in service since the late 1980s and early 1990s. The first ship of this class, JS Mogami, was commissioned in April 2022, followed by JS Kumano in March 2022, preceding the lead ship.

With a full-load displacement of 5,500 tonnes, JS Natori measures 132 meters in length and 16 meters in width. It is powered by a combined diesel and gas (CODAG) propulsion system that includes two MAN 12V28/33D STC diesel engines and a Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbine, enabling a maximum speed of 30 knots and accommodating a crew of 90.

The main armament of the Mogami class features a 127 mm naval gun from BAE Systems. The frigates also come equipped with a vertical launching system (VLS) for the Type 03 medium-range surface-to-air missile and two quad launchers for anti-ship missiles. Japan also plans to equip the Mogami-class frigates with a naval variant of the Type 12 missile to enhance their long-range strike capabilities.

The Natori frigate, which cost approximately 51.4 billion yen ($322 million) as per the contract awarded in March 2023, is the second Japanese ship to bear the name Natori, following the Imperial Japanese Navy's third Nagara-class light cruiser. As neighboring China expands its naval capabilities, Japan plans to defend its southwestern Nansei island chain, stretching from Kagoshima to Okinawa towards Taiwan, by increasing surveillance missions in its coastal waters, including around the contested Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands.

JS Natori is currently undergoing fitting-out, with delivery and commissioning expected by the end of the fiscal year 2025. The Mogami-class frigates are designed for surveillance missions in the waters surrounding the Japanese archipelago, marking Japan’s ongoing commitment to modernizing its fleet to meet regional security challenges.