“This decision was made based on what was the best capability for Australia,” Marles said.
“We do have a very close strategic alignment with Japan.”
Mogami-class warships are advanced stealth frigates equipped with a potent array of weapons.
Marles said they would replace Australia’s ageing fleet of Anzac-class vessels, with the first Mogami-class ship to be in service by 2030.
“The Mogami-class frigate is the best frigate for Australia,” said Marles.
“It is a next-generation vessel. It is stealthy. It has 32 vertical launch cells capable of launching long-range missiles.”
Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said the frigates were capable of launching long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles.
‘More lethal’
“The acquisition of these stealth frigates will make our navy a bigger navy, and a more lethal navy,” he said.
The first three Mogami-class frigates will be built overseas, Conroy said, with shipbuilding yards in Western Australia expected to produce the rest.
Australia announced a deal to acquire United States-designed nuclear-powered submarines in 2021, scrapping a years-long plan to develop non-nuclear subs from France.
Under the tripartite Aukus pact with the US and the United Kingdom, the Australian Navy plans to acquire at least three Virginia-class submarines within 15 years.
The Aukus submarine programme alone could cost the country up to US$235b over the next 30 years, according to Australian government forecasts, a price tag that has stoked criticism of the strategy.
Major defence projects in Australia have long suffered from cost overruns, government U-turns, policy changes and project plans that make more sense for local job creation than defence.
Australia plans to gradually increase its defence spending to 2.4% of gross domestic product - above the 2% target set by its Nato allies, but well short of US demands for 3.5%.
-Agence France-Presse
