• Australia to purchase 11 Mogami-class frigates from Japan for US$6.5 billion.
• Deal enhances Australia’s naval capabilities amid concerns over China’s military expansion.
• Frigates to replace Anzac-class vessels, improving operational range and missile capability.
• Three ships will be built in Japan, with the remainder produced locally in Australia.
• Significant bilateral defense collaboration marks a shift in Japan's military export policies.

Australia has confirmed a monumental A$10 billion (US$6.5 billion) deal with Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for the acquisition of 11 advanced Mogami-class frigates. Defense Minister Richard Marles described this as the largest defense agreement ever established between Japan and Australia, aimed at modernizing Australia’s naval forces amidst rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific, particularly from China’s naval expansion, as reported by Channel News Asia and South China Morning Post.

The agreement is designed to significantly enhance Australia's naval capabilities, expanding its fleet of modern vessels from 11 to 26 over the next decade. The upgraded Mogami-class frigate boasts advanced stealth technology and enhanced weaponry, capable of launching long-range missiles, making the Australian navy more lethal. Marles emphasized, "It is a next-generation vessel. It is stealthy," further supporting the naval expansion strategy, according to Al Jazeera and The Jakarta Post.

The defense upgrade involves three ships being built in Japan, with eight more to be constructed in Australia's Western Australia shipbuilding yards. The first of these frigates is scheduled to be operational by 2030. The deal also represents Japan’s largest military export agreement since the lifting of its historical arms export ban in 2014, highlighting a strategic shift where Japan aims to deepen security ties with allies in the region, such as Australia, to better counterbalance China, as stated by Reuters and Reuters.

This landmark agreement follows Australia’s previous decision to abandon a submarine contract with France and adopt nuclear-powered submarines through the AUKUS pact with the United States and the United Kingdom. With a focus on strategic military partnerships, Marles remarked that the deal is “a very significant moment in the bilateral relationship between Australia and Japan,” reflecting a concerted effort to enhance cooperative defense capabilities in an increasingly volatile regional landscape, according to AA and South China Morning Post.