Japan commissions sixth Mogami-class frigate

JS Agano, Japan's sixth Mogami-class frigate, seen here at its commissioning ceremony on 20 June. (Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force)

Japan has commissioned its sixth Mogami-class guided-missile frigate.

The vessel, JS Agano , was handed over by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) at its Nagasaki shipyard on 20 June and subsequently commissioned into service on the same day, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) disclosed via an official statement to mark the event.

Agano will be deployed to the JMSDF's naval base in Maizuru, the service further disclosed in its statement that was also issued on 20 June.

The vessel is one of 12 Mogami-class frigates that have been ordered for the JMSDF. These new warships are progressively replacing the JMSDF's fleet of Abukuma-class frigates that have been in service since the late 1980s and early 1990s.

First-of-class JS Mogami was commissioned in April 2022, and Agano was launched by MHI in December 2022.

The Mogami class displaces about 5,500 tonnes at full load, and it has an overall length of 132 m and an overall beam of 16 m.

Each warship features a combined diesel and gas (CODAG) propulsion configuration comprising two MAN 12V28/33D STC diesel engines and one Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbine engine. It has a top speed of 30 kt and a crew complement of 90.

In terms of armaments, the class is armed with a BAE Systems 127 mm naval gun in the primary position. It is also equipped with a vertical launching system (VLS) for the Type 03 medium-range surface-to-air missile and two quad launchers for anti-ship missiles.