Launching ceremony of the 12th Mogami frigate, the JS Yoshii (FFM-12) @JMSDF
Japan has launched the final vessel of its Mogami-class frigate program, with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces officially naming and launching JS Yoshii at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ shipyard in Nagasaki.
The launch was reported by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces and the Ministry of Defense. Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi attended the ceremony. The ship is named after the Yoshii River in Okayama Prefecture, a name not previously used by the Imperial Japanese Navy.
The keel was laid on July 3, 2024, and the ship was launched about 17 months later. Following the launch, the frigate will be towed to a berth for outfitting and trials. The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces plan to commission JS Yoshii into service in 2026.
JS Yoshii has a standard displacement of 3,900 tons and a full displacement of about 5,500 tons. It measures approximately 132.5–133 meters in length, with a beam of 16.3 meters, a draft of 9 meters, and a crew of around 90.
The frigate is armed with a 127-mm Mk 45 Mod 4 naval gun from BAE Systems, capable of engaging surface, air, and shore targets. Air defense and anti-submarine operations are supported by a 16-cell Mk 41 vertical launch system, while close-in defense is provided by the SeaRAM system. Anti-ship capability is provided by eight Type 17 (SSM-2) missiles.
Anti-submarine weapons include Type 12 lightweight torpedo tubes. Two remotely operated combat modules with 12.7-mm machine guns are installed to counter asymmetric threats. The ship also carries simplified mine-laying equipment, allowing it to deploy defensive minefields for territorial water protection.
The aviation component supports one Mitsubishi SH-60K or SH-60L multi-role helicopter.
The Mogami-class frigate program began in 2019 to replace Hayabusa-class missile boats and Abukuma-class escort destroyers. To speed construction, two ships were built simultaneously. The first pair, Mogami and Kumano, were laid down in 2019 and launched in late 2020 and early 2021, respectively. The lead ship’s launch was delayed by damage to a Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbine during bench testing.
AloJapan.com