Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems have been down-selected to advance in the Project Sea 3000 General Purpose Frigate evaluation with their Mogami and MEKO A-200 designs respectively. One of the companies, however, appears to be offering a third design as well.
“We have down-selected now to two companies who are providing three designs amongst those two, but one of those is Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ Mogami class frigate,” said the Minister for Defence, Richard Marles, during a 17 November press conference in Darwin."
“But we're obviously very impressed with the Mogami class frigate and what Mitsubishi has presented so far. We were pleased to announce that they were part of our down selection, and we will be working closely with them going forward.”
The identity of the third design is not clear, however, both Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems have previously showcased larger, more advanced versions of the Mogami and MEKO A-200 respectively. At the Indian Ocean Defence and Security Conference, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries unveiled the Upgraded Mogami, while Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems showcased the MEKO A-210 at Indo Pacific 2023.
The Upgraded Mogami class is a larger and more heavily armed version of the baseline Mogami class frigate which is in service with the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force. It is longer, displaces 4,880 tons, and has a wider beam compared to the Mogami. It has been shown armed with 32 Strike-Length Mark 41 Vertical Launching System cells, compared to 16 on the Mogami, as well as eight anti-ship missiles and a 127 mm main gun.
TKMS’ MEKO A-210 is a similar evolutionary upgrade to the MEKO A-200. It retains the A-200's basic hull form and propulsion layout, however, it is longer resulting in a displacement of more than 4,700 tons compared to the A-200’s 3,600. At Indo Pacific 2023, it was shown fitted with a CEA radar and 32 Strike-Length Mk.41 vertical launching systems as well as 16 Naval Strike Missiles, a 20 kilowatt directed energy weapon, and a 127 mm main gun.
“Our intention is to make a final decision in respect of this through the course of next year. So this has a little time to run, but not a lot of time because at the heart of what we are seeking to do is to have a new- the first of those- general purpose frigates actually in service in the 2020s,” Marles said in Darwin.