Australia Selects Rolls-Royce MT30 Engines To Power New Mogami-Class Frigates

Australia has selected the Rolls-Royce MT30 marine gas turbine to power its future fleet of upgraded Mogami-class general-purpose frigates.

The propulsion system will be installed on up to 11 frigates planned for the Royal Australian Navy, supporting undersea warfare and air defence capabilities.

Australia announced last year it had chosen Japan’s upgraded Mogami-class design as the replacement platform for its aging general-purpose frigates, with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries set to build the vessels.

The first three warships will be constructed in Japan before being delivered to Australia. The lead ship is scheduled for delivery in 2029 and is expected to enter service in 2030.

Australia’s decision keeps the same propulsion system already used on Japan’s Mogami-class warships, reducing integration risks while maintaining compatibility with an operational design.

The MT30, designed, assembled and tested at Rolls-Royce’s Bristol facility in the UK, is regarded as the world’s most power-dense marine gas turbine currently in service.

In the Mogami-class configuration, the gas turbine operates alongside two diesel engines and delivers a combined 70,000 horsepower, enabling speeds above 35 mph.

Rolls-Royce said the engine offers power margin, design flexibility, efficiency and reliability throughout its service life.

The company added that the turbine is already used by several navies worldwide and powers Global Combat Ship variants, including Australia’s Hunter-class frigates.

Beyond propulsion, the upgraded Mogami-class frigates will also use mtu Series 4000-based diesel generator sets from Rolls-Royce Power Systems for onboard electricity supply.

The generators will be supplied through licensed partner Daihatsu InfinEarth and will support a wide range of shipboard systems, from combat functions to navigation.

Alex Zino, Director of Business Development and Future Programmes, UK and International at Rolls-Royce Defence, said the selection continues a long relationship with Australia in power and propulsion across defence sectors.

He said Rolls-Royce had supported Australia for more than a century in air, land and sea systems and welcomed the opportunity to power the new frigates with the MT30 engine. He added the programme also supports collaboration between Australia and Japan aimed at strengthening regional security.

The MT30 has an established presence across advanced naval platforms. It powers the UK Royal Navy’s Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers and Type 26 frigates, the US Navy’s Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ship variant and Zumwalt-class destroyers, as well as South Korea’s Daegu-class and Chungnam-class frigates.

The engine is also used aboard the Italian Navy’s new Landing Helicopter Dock and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Mogami-class frigates.

Australia is already integrating the MT30 into its Hunter-class frigates under a separate programme, and using the same engine across multiple classes is expected to simplify maintenance, logistics and crew training.

The general-purpose frigate programme is estimated to be worth about 10 billion Australian dollars, or roughly $7.1 billion, marking one of Australia’s major naval investments.

Reference: Rolls-Royce