Japan commissions its first new Mogami-class frigate

 

The Mogami-class frigate JS Kumano (FFM-2). Photo c/o Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

The Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) has commissioned its first new Mogami-class frigate into service.

The new ship, named the JS Kumano (FFM-2) was commissioned at the same time as the delivery of the ship by its shipbuilder, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) on 22 March 2022.

The JS Kumano  is actually the second ship of the class but was the first to be delivered to the JMSDF, before the lead ship of the class, the future JS Mogami (FFM-1) which has been rescheduled to be delivered and commissioned with the JMSDF by April 2022.

It was assigned with the JMSDF's Mine Warfare Force based in Yokosuka Naval Base in Kanagawa.

The new Mogami-class frigates were designed with efficiency and high level of automation in mind, together with a more compact design for reduced construction cost,and stealthy hull and superstructure design for reduced cross-section against radar detection.

It has a length of 132.5 meters, a width of 16.3 meters, and has a crew of 90 officers and sailors.

The ship has a maximum speed of more than 30 knots, and powered by a Combined Diesel and Gas (CODAG) propulsion configuration with two MAN 12V28/33D STC diesel engines and a Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbine engine.

It is armed with a BAE Systems Mk.45 Mod 4 127mm naval gun, two Japan Steel Works RCWS for 12.7mm machine guns, a 16-cell Mk. 41 VLS, an 11-cell Raytheon SeaRAM CIWS, and two quadruple launchers for MHI Type 17 anti-ship missiles.

The Mogami-class are to replace the JMSDF's ageing fleet of Abukuma-class destroyer escorts that have been in service since the late 1980s.




[1] Naval News
[2] Janes
[3] The Diplomat