Australia announced on Tuesday, August 5, the purchase of 11 furtive frigates from the Japanese group Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) for 6 billion US dollars (5.2 billion euros), as part of the modernization of their team against China’s military power.
This contract is “clearly the largest agreement of the defense industry ever concluded between Japan and Australia,” said Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles.
The stealthy frigates of the Mogami class, expected by Australia by 2030, are intended to replace those, aged, of the Anzac class, the entrance to the service in the 1990s. They are capable of launching long -range cruise missiles.
An Australian desire to strengthen its fleet
For this call for tenders, MHI competed with the German group Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems. The Spanish and South Korean groups had previously fired in the process.
In 2023, Australia launched an important restructuring of its armed forces to provide them with long -range striking capabilities to better respond to Chinese naval power. The country strives to extend its fleet of large ships to 26 units in the next 10 years.
“The Mogami class frigate is the best frigate for Australia,” said Richard Marles. “It is a new generation ship. It is stealthy. It has a vertical launch system of 32 cells capable of extracting long -range missiles,” he added.
A “special strategic” patenary with Japan
The order is the largest defense export contract in Japan since World War II, according to Japanese media. Japan’s pacifist constitution prevents him from exporting weapons, but in 2024, Tokyo softened the controls of arms exports to allow him to increase his sales abroad.
The agreement strengthens a booming security association between Australia and Japan. Tokyo and Canberra are members of the group “Quad” with India and the United States.
Japanese government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said Tuesday that the agreement was “proof of confidence in high -level technology in our nation and the importance of interoperability between Japanese self -defense forces and the Australian army.”
It was also “a great step towards the elevation of cooperation in terms of national security with Australia, which is our special strategic partner,” said Yoshimasa Hayashi to journalists in Tokyo. “The acquisition of these stealthy frigates will make our Navy larger and more lethal,” he said.
The first three Mugami class frigates will be built abroad, said Defense Minister Pat Conroy, Western Australian shipyards who are supposed to produce the rest.
Increase defense expenses
In 2021, Australia had caused thunder by announcing the acquisition of nuclear propulsion submarines of the American design, abandoning a several -year plan destined to develop non -nuclear submarines with the French naval group.
This decision, which had caused an unprecedented diplomatic crisis between Paris and Canberra, was accompanied by Washington’s announcement of the creation of a Military Cooperation Agreement, Aukus, which links Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom and intended to counteract Chinese expansionism in the internal-pacific.
In practice, the Australian Navy plans to acquire at least three American Virginia class submarines in the next 15 years.
In total, the military program developed as part of Aukus could cost the country to 235 billion US dollars in the next 30 years, according to the forecasts of the Australian government, a cost that aroused criticism of the strategy.
Australia plans to gradually increase its defense expenses to 2.4 % of the gross domestic product, above the 2 % target established by its NATO allies, but below the US requirements of 3.5 %.
The big defense projects in Australia have suffered for a long time cost effects, government reversions, policy changes. They were also accused of passing the creation of local jobs before defense imperatives.
Source: BFM TV
