Japan has received frigate Natori from local shipbuilder Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), marking the delivery of the ninth vessel in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s (JMSDF) Mogami-class program.
The delivery ceremony for Natori took place on May 21 at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ Nagasaki Shipyard in Akunoura, Nagasaki City. The 3,900-ton vessel was ordered by Japan’s Ministry of Defense in fiscal year 2022 and forms part of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s next-generation Mogami-class multi-mission frigate fleet.
Natori follows the previously delivered ships: Mogami, Kumano, Noshiro, Mikuma, Yahagi, Agano, Niyodo, and Yubetsu.
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Japan welcomes seventh Mogami-class frigate Vessels The frigate measures 133 meters in length, with a beam of 16.3 meters and a depth of 9 meters. It is capable of speeds of approximately 30 knots and is powered by a combined propulsion arrangement consisting of one gas turbine engine and two diesel engines.
Its armament includes a 5-inch/62-caliber naval gun, a SeaRAM close-in weapon system, two surface-to-ship missile launchers, anti-submarine warfare systems, mine warfare capabilities, and a vertical launch system.
Construction of Natori began on July 6, 2023, with the keel-laying and first steel-cutting process. The vessel was launched on June 24, 2024, before completing outfitting and trials ahead of its final delivery in May 2026.
The Mogami-class frigates are designed to provide the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force with enhanced multi-role operational capabilities while supporting reduced crew requirements and improved automation compared to older surface combatants.