Japan Marine United Corporation (JMU) has launched Akane, the first CAIMEN high-speed landing craft being built for Japan’s Self-Defense Force (JSDF).
The launch follows the December 2025 contract award by Japan’s Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency (ATLA) to JMU for design and build of the next-generation high-speed landing craft. Under the program, BMT provides the CAIMEN landing craft design, while JMU undertakes production design and construction at its facilities in Japan.
The vessels are set to serve with the JSDF’s Maritime Transport Group, a joint unit of the Japan Maritime, Ground and Air Self-Defense Forces established in March 2025, supporting the rapid and flexible movement of personnel, vehicles and equipment between sea and shore, including to remote islands in Japan’s southwestern region where established port facilities are limited.
Approximately 35 metres long and of aluminium construction, Akane incorporates BMT’s distinctive tri-bow hull form and is designed to achieve speeds of approximately 18 knots while carrying vehicles and personnel.
The hull form combines high-speed transit with the seakeeping, manoeuvrability and stability required for beaching operations, according to the companies.
The launch marks the first application of a BMT design to a Japanese shipbuilding program, and a significant step in the continuing evolution of the CAIMEN family. Developed and refined over many years, the vessel has been engineered to meet diverse littoral manoeuvre requirements across a wide range of operating environments.
“The launch of the first CAIMEN® Japan is a proud moment for everyone involved in the programme and, more importantly, a demonstration of what genuine international partnership can deliver. JMU brings world-class shipbuilding capability and a deep understanding of the JSDF’s requirements; BMT brings a proven design shaped by years of research and development. Together, that combination has carried this vessel from contract award to launch with confidence," Graeme Nayler, Managing Director – Asia Pacific, BMT, said.
“The programme is also significant in representing a rare instance of an overseas vessel design being adopted for a Japanese defence programme. We see this launch not as an end point but as a milestone in a long-term commitment to Japan’s maritime sector. It strengthens the defence industrial relationship between the United Kingdom and Japan, and it deepens BMT's presence and partnerships across the Asia Pacific region where so much of the future of maritime capability is being shaped.”
“The launch of the first CAIMEN Japan marks a significant achievement for both JMU and BMT, one that neither company could have accomplished independently. BMT's proven CAIMEN design, combined with JMU's engineering expertise, production design capabilities, and shipbuilding craftsmanship, has been successfully realized through close and productive collaboration between our two organizations," Eto Atsushi, JMU Director and Managing Officer, commented.
"Despite a demanding construction schedule, the project has progressed smoothly through meticulous planning, effective coordination, and the unwavering dedication of all those involved."