The MT30 marine gas turbines from Rolls-Royce have been selected to power up to 11 Australian general-purpose frigates based on the updated design of Japan’s Mogami-class.
According to Defence Blog, the selection follows Australia’s earlier decision to acquire the updated Mogami-class frigate as its replacement for general-purpose naval frigates. Japan’s Mogami-class already operates with the MT30, making the engine choice a natural continuation of the platform’s existing propulsion architecture.
The first three frigates will be built in Japan by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), with the first scheduled for delivery to Australia in 2029 and entry into operational service in 2030. Subsequent vessels in the program are expected to gradually transition to Australian production over time.
In addition to the gas turbine, the updated Mogami-class frigates destined for Australia will be equipped with diesel generator sets based on the mtu Series 4000 from Rolls-Royce Power Systems, providing onboard electrical power for ship systems.
The generator sets are supplied by Daihatsu InfinEarth, a licensed partner of Rolls-Royce Power Systems for this line. This structure gives Rolls-Royce a dual role in the program, acting both in main propulsion with the MT30 and in auxiliary power generation through its Power Systems division.
“For more than 100 years, Rolls-Royce has been an integral partner providing power and propulsion to Australia across air, land, and sea. We are very pleased to continue this long-standing partnership by powering their new general-purpose frigates with our MT30 engine,” said Alex Zino, Director of Business Development and Future Programs at Rolls-Royce Defense.
Photo: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
