Kosuke Takahashi

1 week ago | navalnews.com | Kosuke Takahashi

The new offshore patrol vessels (OPV) will be built at a very high pace: The first and second vessels are scheduled to be launched in November this year. The Japanese Ministry of Defense has announced that it has started building a planned fleet of 12 OPV for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). It is the first time ever for the service to introduce any OPV.

1 week ago | navalnews.com | Kosuke Takahashi |Monch Publishing. Takahashi

New images provided to Naval News by local photographer and shipspotter たもたん (@Tamotaro) show Japanese shipbuilder Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has installed the first 16-cell Mk 41 VLS on JS Niyodo (FFM-7), or the seventh ship of the Mogami-class, at the company’s Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works in Nagasaki Prefecture. It has been placed on the deck in front of the bridge of the ship, as originally planned.

3 weeks ago | navalnews.com | Kosuke Takahashi

Japan awards Mitsubishi Heavy Industries $219 million contract for homegrown version of Tomahawk missile. MHI received yet another major contract to develop new standoff missiles, part of Japan’s push for counterstrike capabilities. On April 1, Japan’s Defense Ministry announced that it has signed a contract worth about 32.3 billion yen ($2.19 million) with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) to develop its own standoff missiles that can be launched from outside the enemy’s threat range.

3 weeks ago | navalnews.com | Kosuke Takahashi |Monch Publishing. Takahashi

“It is a wider task for us, for both defense industries to support each other, to complement each other through co-development, co-production, co-sustainment and other initiatives, especially the stable delivery of missiles, is crucial for both sides,” Nakatani said during a joint press conference, after the first U.S.-Japan defense ministers’ meeting to take place since Donald Trump took office in January again.

1 month ago | navalnews.com | Kosuke Takahashi |Monch Publishing. Takahashi

The new unit consists of the command headquarters, the 1st Marine Transportation Squadron, and the 2nd Marine Transportation Squadron.  Each squadron will be equipped with their own dedicated transport ships. This unit is directly controlled by the defense minister, but it is managed by the JGSDF, a spokesperson at the Ground Staff Office told Naval News on March 24.