Japan's search for a new compact destroyer dates to 2015. Measuring the programme only from 2019 leaves out several years of preparation and exaggerates the apparent speed of delivery. An August 2026 estimate puts about ten ships in service, with two more expected before March 2027. Those figures describe the situation and expectations at that stated date. Planned upgrades and possible exports extend the programme beyond its initial batch, while its rapid construction still rests on the longer development cycle.
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Dating the Mogami programme from 2015
The programme's 2015 origins put Japan's rapid frigate deliveries in context and explain why a 2019 starting point understates the development effort.