Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles (L) and Japan’s Minister of Defense Koizumi Shinjiro (R) pose for a photo with Eisaku Ito, Pesident and CEO of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, before the signing of the contract for Japan to deliver the first three of Mogami-class warships, in Melbourne on April 18, 2026. Japan agreed on April 18 on a deal to provide Australia’s navy with the first of almost a dozen stealth frigates, part of a wider military build up by Canberra aimed at boosting its long-range firepower to deter China.
William West | Afp | Getty Images
Canberra, meanwhile, has committed as much as AU$20 billion toward a fleet of 11 general purpose frigates. The first three will be built by MHI.
The new warships, based on the upgraded Mogami-class frigate, will replace the current ANZAC-class in the Australian Navy, which have been in service since the 1980s.
Japan’s MHI beat German rival ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems to bag the deal. Japan said Australia could receive the first of the upgraded warships ahead of its own navy, tipping the AU$10 billion contest in MHI’s favor, according to Australian news outlet ABC.
Nikkei reported that other companies involved in the deal include NEC Corporation, Mitsubishi Electric and Hitachi, which will provide radar, antenna and other systems for the ships.
Shares of Mitsubishi Electric were up last 3.64%, while Hitachi saw a smaller gain of 0.8%. NEC shares slipped 0.6%.
In its National Defence Strategy released on April 16, Canberra identified that China’s “growing national power and increasingly potent military capabilities” will be the main factor in security dynamics in the Indo-Pacific region.
The report added that Beijing will continue to prosecute its maritime and territorial claims in the South and East China Sea, using the People’s Liberation Army and China Coast Guard.
“PLA intercepts of foreign military vessels and aircraft operating under international law in international waters and airspace are becoming more frequent and, at times, are unsafe and unprofessional.”
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