New FFM. The  is a frigate class planned to be built for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. These were reordered from 10 s, which was planned to have 22 ships before being scaled back to 12. The order for the new ships increased in quantity, and a total of 12 ships are to be built over a five-year period from the fiscal year of 2024.

Background and development 
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force began constructing the  (30FFM) frigates from 2018. These vessels were designed for mine countermeasure operations in addition to various littoral missions currently undertaken by destroyers and destroyer escorts of the 10th Escort Squadron, which is not part of the Fleet Escort Force. The original plan was to build 22 ships to replace the eight destroyers and six destroyer escorts of the 10th Escort Squadron, as well as the eight minesweeping vessels of the Mine Warfare Force.

However, on 25 January 2023, the Defense Acquisition Agency announced the "Guidelines for soliciting participants for the 'Planning and Proposal Contract for New FFMs'", and construction from fiscal year 2024 onwards would switch to the new ships. On 31 March of the same year, Japan Marine United and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries completed the planning contract. The government, having received proposals from each company on 15 June, decided on 25 August the procurement partner for the class, with MHI being the main supplier, while the JMU would be the subcontractor. On 31 August of the same year, a total of 12 new FFMs were to be built starting with the 2024 planned ships, and 174.7 billion yen will be invested into the construction of two ships in the following fiscal year's budget. The first two ships are scheduled to be commissioned in 2028.

The Mogami-class frigates are being built at a rate of two ships per year, but the new FFMs will be built at a faster pace, with a total of 12 ships planned to be procured over a five-year period from 2024 to 2028.

Design

Hull 
Compared to the Mogami class's 3,900-ton standard displacement, the New FFM is heaver at 4,880 tons. The stealth-design hull is also larger in terms of width and length. In addition, the Mogamis have a stealth shear, which was omitted from the new FFM design. The bridge structure appears to have been heavily altered from the one seen on the Mogami-class.

Engine configuration 
The New FFMs would be propelled by a gas turbine engine and two diesel engines in a CODAG arrangement, in order to achieve the  top speed.

This arrangement is shared with the Mogami class, with a pair of conventional screw propellers.

Equipment

C4ISR system 
As the ship will be equipped with the Type 23 surface-to-air guided missile as shown below, it will be fitted with an illuminator for missile guidance to the multi-function radar, as well as an FC network, which is essentially the Japanese version of the Naval Integrated Fire Control Counter-Air (NIFC-CA). However, since the multi-function radar is based on the OPY-2, which is originally designed for individual ship air defense, it has been suggested that it will be necessary to improve its capabilities in the future.

The ship will be equipped with a multi-function sonar that functions both as a radar and a mine detector.

Weapon systems 
The biggest change in terms of equipment is the planned installation of Type 23 A-SAM guided missiles as the primary air defence weapon, as well as the  as a standoff missile. The A-SAM missiles, along with the Type 07 (07VLA) anti-submarine missiles, will be housed in a 32-cell VLS on the bow deck.

Other equipment will be similar to that of the Mogami class.

Export 
The Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries displayed a model of the new surface combat ship "FFM-AAW" at the Indo Pacific 2023 maritime defense exhibition held at the International Convention Centre in Sydney, Australia from 7 to 9 November 2023. The FFM-AAW is referred as a derivative of the New FFM.

On 21 February 2024, the Australian Department of Defence announced replacements for the s, with Japan's Mogami-class frigates being considered, along with the German-built MEKO A-200, the Spanish ALFA3000 and the South Korean  (Batches II and III). The final decision will be made in 2025.

On 7 May of the same year, several sources reported that the government considered participating in a bidding process for new ships planned for introduction by the Royal Australian Navy, with joint development based on the FFM-type destroyer being envisioned. It would be unusual for a highly capable frigate model to be exported, although it is possible that it will compete with other nations' ships such as those mentioned above, and it is unclear whether the order will be received.

On 8 November 2024, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that the candidate co-development countries had been narrowed down to Japan (i.e., FFM-AAW) and Germany, and that $11 billion AUD (equivalent to 1.12 trillion Japanese yen) will be invested within over 10 years.

Ships of the class

See also 
 Aegis system equipped vessels (ASEV)
 Next-Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel program
 Australian general purpose frigate program

References 

Frigates of Japan
Frigates of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
Proposed ships