Australia’s new general purpose frigates being built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will carry towed array sonar systems supplied by OKI.
The leading Japanese telecommunications firm has signed a contract with MHI to supply towed passive sonar arrays on the first three of 11 frigates for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) being procured under its Sea 3000 programme.
OKI has developed and produced underwater acoustic sensors and other technologies for almost a century, primarily for defence use, including sonar used by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
As per a company press statement, the newly agreed contract to supply the Australian frigates marks OKI’s first overseas transfer of defence technology.
The new RAN warships will replace its Anzac-class frigates as they are decommissioned. The first three 06FFM upgraded Mogami vessels are being built by MHI in Japan; the first-in-class boat is scheduled to be delivered to Australia in 2029, to enter active service during 2030.
The remaining eight warships are set to be built in the Henderson precinct in Western Australia.
Australia’s Albanese Government announced the selection of the MHI vessel as its preferred platform for general purpose frigates in August 2025. The deal for the 11 new boats is valued at about A$20 billion (about £10.5 billion).
The upgraded Mogami-class multi-mission stealth frigate is 142 metres long and has a standard displacement of 4,880 metric tons. It boasts a range of up to 10,000 nautical miles and features a 32-cell Vertical Launch System each with four missiles, double the capacity of the earlier Mogami-class vessels.
- You can read more details about the new contract on the OKI website
