Japan launches ninth, commissions sixth Mogami-class multi-mission frigate

Launching of Natori (FFM-9) at MHI's Nagasaki Shipyard. Photo c/o MHI.

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) has reached new milestones in their Mogami-class multi-mission frigate programme over the past few days, as the sixth ship of the class was commissioned into service, while the ninth ship of the class was launched.

Japanese shipbuilder Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI)  has delivered the sixth Mogami-class frigate to JMSDF on 20 June 2024, with the JMSDF naming the ship as the JS Agano (FFM-6), and commissioning it on the same day.

The ship was launched by MHI’s Nagaski shipyard in December 2022 and was named after the Agano River found in Hokuriku region of Honshu, Japan.

The new frigate will be assigned with the JMSDF’s Maizuru Naval Base in the Kansai region

Japanese shipbuilder Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has launched the ninth Mogami-class frigate on 24 June 2024, also in their Nagasaki Shipyard and Machinery Works.

The ship was named Natori (FFM-9) , after the Natori River in the Miyagi Prefecture in northern Japan, and is the second ship to bear the same name after  a light cruiser of the Imperioal Japanese Navy.

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] Naval News

[3] Janes

Philippines receives first batch of 32-unit S-70i Black Hawk helicopter order

 

One of the S-70i Black Hawl helicopters for the PAF being unloaded from the An-124-100 transport aircraft. Photo c/o Polish Embassy in the Philippines.

The Polish subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, PZL Mielec, has successfully delivered the first batch of five Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk combat utility helicopters for the Philippine Air Force on 16 June 2024.

The helicopters were delivered by an Antonov An-124-100 Ruslan civilian heavy transport aircraft and were flown from PZL Mielec’s facility in Poland to Clark Air Base in the Philippines.

An order for 32 S-70i Black Hawk helicopters in combat utility variant was made in 2021 by the Philippines’ Department of National Defense (DND) as part of a PHP31.75 billion (US$577.3 million) contract with PZL Mielec. This project is part of the Philippines’ military modernization program under its Horizon 2 phase covering years 2018 to 2022.

The DND previously announced that PZL Mielec will deliver 5 units in 2023 and 10 units each for   2024 and 2025, and the remaining 7 units by 2026, although this could have been pushed back by at least 1 year.

The Philippine Air Force already received an initial 16 units of the S-70i Black Hawks from 2020 to 2021, although one was involved in fatal crash. The PAF also has an older S-70A-5 Black Hawk helicopter used as a Search and Rescue (SAR) helicopter and was part of an order in the mid-1980s. 

Upon completion of delivery of all 32 helicopters, the PAF is expected to be largest operator of Polish-built S-70i Black Hawk helicopters in the world, and it is expected that the PAF as well as other branch services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines may order additional helicopters in various configurations including Search and Rescue (SAR), VVIP, Special Operations variants, and additional Combat Utility helicopters.

[1] MaxDefense Philippines

[2] Inquirer

[3] Philippine Defense Resource

Malaysia selects Turkish MILGEM corvette for its LMS Batch 2 project

Infrographic on LMS Batch 2 project . Photo c/o Malaysia MINDEF.

The Malaysian Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the its Turkish counterpart for the basis of Government-to-Government (G2G) procurement of defense systems, as well as signing a Letter of Acceptance (LoA) with the its Turkish shipbuilder STM selection and procurement of Turksih-built corvettes  for the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) under its Littoral Mission Ship (LMS) Batch 2 program.

The signing ceremonies were held on 10 June 2024 in Ankara, Turkey with Malaysian Defence Minister Mohamad Khaled Nordin and Turkish Defense Industry Agency President Haluk Gorgun leading the even, together with officials from STM and the Royal Malaysian Navy.

The ships selected are based on the Turkish Navy’s MILGEM program using the Ada-class corvette as basis, and will be modified to suit the RMN’s requirements. 

These are far more improved to the LMS Batch 1 ships acquired by the Malaysian MINDEF from China, which resulted to the Keris-class patrol vessels.

Delivery of all three ships to the RMN are expected to be within 42 months, and will include supply of products from Turkish defense companies including Aselsan, Roketsan, and Havelsan, etc.

It is expected that the ships will be 99.6 meters long, has a maximum beam of 14.42 meters, and a draft of 3.94 meters, and a displacement of around 2,500 tonnes.

It would be powered by four marine diesel engines in Combined Diesel and Diesel (CODAD) configuration allowing a maximum speed of 26 knots, a cruising speed of 14 knots, and a maximum range of 4,000 nautical miles at cruising speed.

The ships will have heavier weapons that the LMS Batch 1 Keris-class, which will now include a 76mm naval gun, two 12.7mm heavy machine guns using the Aselsan STAMP remote-controlled weapon station, two quadruple launchers of Roketsan Atmaca anti-ship missiles, a 30mm Aselsan SMASH autocannon,  and a 4-cell VLS with 16 South Korean K-SAAM Haegung surface-to-air missiles quadpacked per cell.

[1] Malaysian MINDEF

[2] Naval News

[3} Janes

Korean shipbuilder launches first of two new corvettes for the Philippines

 

Launch of new corvette, the future BRP Miguel Malvar (FF-06). Photo c/o HD HHI.

South Korean naval shipbuilder HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) held the launching ceremony for the first of two new large corvettes built for the Philippine Navy.

The ceremony was held on 18 June 2024 at HD HHI’s shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea, with Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner and Philippine Navy Flag Officer-in-Command Vice Admiral Toribio Adaci Jr., leading representation from the Philippines, with Philippine Special Envoy to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Mrs. Monica Prieto-Teodoro leading the christening on the ship.

Republic of Korea Navy Deputy Chief of Naval Operations Vice Admiral Kang Dong-Gil and South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration Deputy Director Mr. Kang Hwan-Seok, as well as officials from HD HHI were also present.

The ship, which will be named the BRP Miguel Malvar (FF-06) once commissioned with the Philippine Navy, is 118.4 meters long, has a maximum breadth of 14.9 meters, and displaces at around 3,200 tons. 

The ship is powered by four MTU-STX diesel engines in Combined Diesel and Diesel (CODAD) configuration allowing the ship to achieve a cruising speed of 15 knots, a maximum speed of more than 25 knots, and a maximum range at cruising speed of 4,500 nautical miles. 

It will be equipped with an Oto Melara 76mm Super Rapid naval gun, two quadruple launchers for LIG Nex1 SSM-700K C-Star anti-ship missiles, surface-to-air missiles launched from Vertical Launching Systems (VLS), two triple torpedo tube launchers, a gun-based close-in weapon system.

According to Filipino defense page MaxDefense Philippines, French-made VL MICA short-range surface-to-air missiles from MBDA was selected by the Philippine Navy, potentially launched from two 8 or 12-cell VLS launchers. 

It also appears that the Philippine Navy selected the Turkish-made Gokdeniz 35mm CIWS, and potentially a 30mm SMASH remote-controlled secondary naval gun, both from Aselsan, which are installed at the hangar superstructure deck.

MaxDefense Philippines also confirmed that the ship is equipped with the Hanwha Systems Naval Shield Integrated Combat Management System, an IAI EL/M-2258 ALPHA air/surface search 3D AESA radar, Hensoldt Sharpeye Mk. II navigation/secondary surface search radar, Selex NA-25X fire control radar, Safran Paseo XLR electro-optical/infra-red (EO/IR) system, a hull mounted sonar, and fitted for but not with a Towed Array Sonar.

The future BRP Miguel Malvar is schedule to undergo sea trials and complete fitting works prior to its delivery to the Philippine Navy which is scheduled by either late 2024 or early 2025. 

The second ship of the class, which is expected to be named as the future BRP Diego Silang (FF-07) is under construction and is expected to be launched by December 2024.

[1] Korea Times

[2] MaxDefense Philippines

[3] Philippine Defense Resource

Vanuatu receives Australian-funded landing craft

 

The RVS Sokomanu. Photo c/o Auatralian High Commission in Vanuatu.

The Vanuatu Police Maritime Wing (PMW) has received a landing craft that was paid for by the Australian Government as part of its Defence Cooperation Program.

The landing craft, which was built in 2017 by a Malaysian shipbuilder, was acquired by the Australian Government from French company Peschaud International for A$7.18 million and will be named RVS Sokomanu after Vanuatu’s first president Ati George Sokomanu, who served between 1984 and 1989.

The new landing craft would enable the Vanuatu PMW to conduct sea transport operations, including provided support for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, 

The ship is expected to sail from Singapore to Vanuatu with a composite crew of Vanuatu PMW personnel and civilian Filipino sailors, and is expected to arrive at Port Vila on 26 June 2024.

According to a report by the Australian Defence Magazine, Vanuatu Police personnel have been training with the ship since March 2023,  initially by embedding a Vanuatu PMW officer with the landing craft team of the Royal Australian Navy’s amphibious assault ship HMAS Canberra.

Australia also provided training for the ship’s future crew members, with schooling also provided in Vanuatu but paid for by Australia.

The ship is 47 meters long, with a beam of 10.9 meters and a draft of 3.2 meters, with a maximum cargo capacity of 450 tonnes and is equipped with a 30-tonne deck crane. The ship is the largest ever operated by the Vanuatu PMW.

[1] Australian Defence Magazine

[2] Australian High Commission, Vanuatu

Australia cancels plan to fit Collins-class submarines with Tomahawk cruise missiles

 

A Tomahawk missile launched from a US subamrine. Photo c/o US DoD.

The Australian Government will not be pushing through with plans to arm its ageing Collins-class attack submarines with American-made Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles.

This was after advice from both the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) and the US Government stating it is not value for money to modify the submarines to allow the equipping and firing of the Tomahawk cruise missiles from its torpedo tubes.

It was found that not only is this proposed solution costly, but it will also take time to complete and would not give the Royal Australian Navy the capabilities it need until new nuclear-powered attack submarines become online in the early 2030s.

The US Government also confirmed that Raytheon, which manufactures the Tomahawk missile, already shut down production of torpedo-fired variants of the missile, with no plans to reopen the production line.

The plan to arm the Collins-class submarines with Tomahawk missiles were originally part of the plan to extend the service life of the Collins-class submarines by another 10 years through a Life of Type Extension (LOTE) program, which is scheduled to start in 2026.

Despite this setback, the Royal Australian Navy will still have the capability to fire Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles, which will be fitted on its Hobart-class destroyers, while there are feasibility studies ongoing proposing to have the upcoming Hunter-class frigates fitted with them as well.

[1] Australian Financial Review

[2] The Australian