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, marking the completion of the class.
The vessel, to be commissioned as JS Yoshii (FFM-12), is named after the Yoshii River, which originates in the Mikuni Mountains of Okayama Prefecture and flows into Kurashiki Bay. The launch follows a ¥58.3 billion ($371 million) contract awarded to MHI by Japan’s Ministry of Defense in February 2024 for construction of the final ship.
Initiated in 2019, the Mogami-class program is designed to replace the JMSDF’s aging Abukuma-class frigates. To date, eight of the 12 stealth frigates have entered active service since the commissioning of lead ship JS Mogami (FFM-1) in April 2022, while the ninth, tenth, and eleventh vessels are currently in the outfitting phase.
Each Mogami-class frigate measures approximately 133 meters in length, displaces 3,900–4,000 tonnes, operates with a crew of about 90 personnel, and achieves speeds of up to 30 knots. The ships are equipped with a 127mm main gun, surface-to-air and anti-ship missiles, anti-submarine weapons, torpedoes, and mine-laying systems.
