Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has launched the 12th and final Mogami-class frigate for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) at its Nagasaki shipyard.
The future JS Yoshii (FFM-12) multi-role guided-missile frigate is named after the Yoshii River, which flows through the Mikuni Mountains in Okayama Prefecture and into Kurashiki Bay.
The launch comes just over a year after Japan’s defense ministry awarded MHI an approximately 58.3 billion yen ($371 million) contract to build the final frigate in February 2024, Naval News reported.
Following the launch, the vessel will enter its fitting-out phase ahead of its scheduled commissioning with the JMSDF by fiscal year 2026, which ends on March 31, 2027.
The Mogami-class program, which began construction in 2019, is intended to replace the JMSDF’s aging Abukuma-class frigates.
Eight of the 12 stealth surface combatants have already entered service, following the commissioning of the lead ship, JS Mogami (FFM-1), in April 2022.
Meanwhile, the ninth, 10th, and 11th frigates have been launched and are currently undergoing outfitting.
The roughly 133-meter-long (436-foot) vessels displace about 3,900 to 4,000 metric tons, operate with a crew of around 90 personnel, and can reach speeds of approximately 30 knots (56 kilometers or 35 miles per hour).
Their armament includes a 127mm naval gun, surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship missiles, anti-submarine rockets and torpedoes, as well as mine-laying equipment.
As Japan completes the first batch of 12 Mogami-class frigates, it is also moving ahead with an upgraded follow-on class of another 12 vessels.
Known as the “new FFM” or improved Mogami-class, the design incorporates longer-range missiles, enhanced anti-submarine warfare capabilities, and a new ship-to-air guided missile.
The improved frigates are larger than the original Mogami class, with a standard displacement of about 4,880 metric tons and an overall length of 142 meters (466 feet).
Construction is planned at a pace of two ships per year at MHI’s Nagasaki and Tamano shipyards, including work by its Maritime Systems subsidiary.
In August 2025, Australia selected the improved Mogami design for its next-generation general-purpose frigate program.
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