Australian Naval Ship To Receive Maintenance From Japan For The First Time

HMAS Brisbane will be the first active Royal Australian Navy vessel to get maintenance in Japan as Tokyo seeks to strengthen its cooperation with its ally, the U.S and its quasi-allies like the U.K and Australia.

This is in response to China’s growing military power and activities in the Pacific region, including the East and the South China Seas. In particular, China is now strengthening its ties with North Korea and Russia.

This is a part of the Australian Defense Force’s Regional Presence Deployment, which involves military visits in the Indo-Pacific and participation in cooperative activities and exercises with partner countries like Japan.

It is not yet clear when Brisbane will leave Yokosuka, indicating that the destroyer will stay in Japan for a while.

Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Richard Marles announced this development at a joint press conference with Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani held on the fourth Mogami-class frigate, JS Mikuma, at Yokosuka.

Before coming to Japan, HMAS Brisbane took part in a Japan-Australia bilateral exercise with JS Kaga, the 2nd of Izumo-class helicopter destroyer in the Western Pacific.

This joint training includes several tactical exercises like anti-submarine warfare and at-sea replenishment to strengthen cooperation to realise a Free and Open Indo-Pacific region.

Previously, Brisbane had made its first port call at the U.S Naval Base Yokosuka in October 2021.

The ship reached the homeport of the U.S 7th Fleet and waited for the delivery of an MH-60R Seahawk helicopter to replace the one lost in the Philippine Sea during an exercise earlier that month.

The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) is presently adding Tomahawk launch functions to its 8 Aegis destroyers.

In 2024, Brisbane became the first Royal Australian Navy Ship to launch a Tomahawk missile. Australia became the third country in the world to acquire and launch Tomahawk missiles, after the U.S and the U.K.

Japan would be able to understand a lot through the maintenance of the Australian vessel, including the Tomahawk’s capabilities.

Source: Maritime Shipping News