Mitsubishi Heavy to build new Australian naval fleet
Aug. 5 (UPI) -- The Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Group announced Tuesday that the Australian government has chosen it to build a new fleet of warships for the nation's navy.
The Japanese shipbuilder said in a press release that Australia selected the upgraded version of Mitsubishi's 4,800-ton type Mogami-class frigate for its new general-purpose frigates.
"We believe that the decision made by the Australian government is based on its evaluation of our frigate's proven performance, reliability, technology, and capabilities, multi-functionality suitable for various roles including anti-submarine, anti-aircraft, and anti-surface warfare, as well as reduced manpower requirements compared to conventional frigates, and scalability to easily enhance capabilities in the future," Mitsubishi said.
The first three frigates are slated to be built in Japan, under a contract worth more than $6.4 billion, but the rest of the 11-vessel order is expected to be constructed in Australia.
Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles said during a press conference that the Mogami-class frigate was chosen due to its stealth capabilities and can operate with nearly half the crew currently aboard the Australian Navy's Anzac-class frigates, which have been in use since the end of World War II.
"It's all part of our $55 billion investment in the Navy's surface combatant fleet," Australian Defense Industry Minister Pat Conroy posted to X Tuesday. "And it means tens of thousands of well-paid, highly skilled jobs here at home."
"It's a decision months ahead of schedule, and a decision that means our first frigate will be delivered in 2029," Conroy also posted.
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