Japan’s Navy Receives Fourth Mogami-Class Frigate

Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) added the fourth new Mogami-class frigate, JS Mikuma, on Tuesday.

The 133m-long warship with displacement of 3,900 tons was handed over to the MSDF in a ceremony held at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI)’ shipyard in Nagasaki.

The stealthy warship can be deployed for a variety of missions, including warning and surveillance, anti-air, anti-surface, anti-submarine warfare and minesweeping operations.

The vessels of this class are meant to complement “high-intensity maritime operations” by other Self-Defense Force units — a concept known in military parlance as “anti-access/area denial,” or A2AD – during a conflict.