TSAMTO, October 23. On October 20, New Zealand Navy Commander Garin Golding held a meeting with Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, during which they expressed their intention to purchase an upgraded version of the Mogami-class frigate, known as the New FFM.
According to Kyodo News, Mr. Golding expressed concern about China's growing activity in the maritime sector and stressed the need for closer cooperation with Japan. Mr. Nakatani, in turn, called New Zealand an "extremely important partner" and expressed his intention to further deepen defense cooperation.
Recall that on August 5, 2025, the Australian Ministry of Defense announced the selection of the upgraded Mogami-class frigate by the Japanese company Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) as the preferred platform under the program for the purchase of multipurpose frigates for the country's Navy.
The choice was made based on the results of a competitive evaluation. The upgraded Mogami was recognized as the best option to quickly meet the requirements of the Australian Navy. The new ships will replace obsolete Anzac-class frigates in service since the 1990s. As you know, two similar frigates are in service with the New Zealand Navy and also require replacement.
The Australian program for the purchase of new general-purpose frigates involves the adoption of up to 11 ships. In the near future, the Ministry of Defense will move to the next stage of procurement, having conducted negotiations with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries before concluding agreements with the company and the government of Japan in 2026. According to the terms of the competition, the first three frigates will be built in Japan. The first ship is scheduled to be delivered to the customer in 2029. It will be put into service in 2030.
According to a statement from the Australian Ministry of Defense, the upgraded Mogami-class frigate provides a range of 10,000 nautical miles, is equipped with a 32-container vertical launch system, surface-to-air missiles and anti-ship missiles.
Australia and New Zealand are military allies within the framework of the Security Treaty between Australia, New Zealand and the United States (ANZUS), signed in 1951 to ensure security in the Pacific Ocean. Thus, given the high level of interaction between the fleets of the two countries, it is only natural that the New Zealand Navy has also expressed interest in purchasing a modernized Japanese Mogami-class frigate.
On June 18, 2024, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, along with then Japanese Defense Minister Makoto Oniki, visited the Yokosuka base of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces and inspected the interior of the Kumano frigate, the second in a series of Mogami-class ships, demonstrating great interest in its purchase.
The Mogami frigate is designed to perform a wide range of tasks, including patrolling, air defense, anti-ship and anti-submarine warfare, has low visibility, and can be used in conflict situations. In June, one of the Japanese frigates took part for the first time in a mine clearance operation in the waters near Iwo Jima. An uninhabited surface vehicle (NVA) and a single-use mine disposal device were used for this purpose.
The frigate is 132.5 m long, 16.3 m wide, and has a displacement of about 4,800 tons. The Mogami-class frigates, which are in service with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces, are equipped with two MAN 12V28/33D diesel engines and a Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbine engine as part of a CODAG-type power plant. The maximum speed of the ship is about 30 knots.
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On June 11, 2019, the New Zealand Ministry of Defense published the "Defense Capability Plan", which contained the investment priorities of the New Zealand Armed Forces for the period up to 2030. Regarding the construction of new frigates, it reported that the revised plan postpones the replacement of Anzac-class frigates for the period after 2030, as the New Zealand government has invested 970 million new Zealand dollars in the modernization of these frigates since 2007. USD.
In November 2023, Babcock Australasia confirmed that it would officially introduce the Arrowhead 140 platform (the international designation for the new Type-31 frigate) as a replacement for two obsolete Meko-class frigates A-200ANZ (Anzac) The New Zealand Navy. Thus, Babcock Australasia decided to prepare in advance for the upcoming tender, and became the first company to declare its readiness to participate in the project.
