Japanese Navy to receive first new minesweeper in four years as fourth Awaji-class JS Nōmi enters service.

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) is set to commission its newest minesweeper, the JS Nōmi (MSO-307), on March 12, 2025, marking the first new vessel of its type to enter service in four years. Built at Japan Marine United's (JMU) Yokohama facility in Tsurumi Ward, the Nōmi is the fourth ship in the Awaji class, considered one of the largest fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) classes of ships in the world.
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The JS Nōmi carries an OZZ-4 medium-class underwater unmanned vehicle (UUV) for mine hunting, an OXX-2 remotely operated vehicle for intelligence gathering, and the Mitsui EMD self-propelled mine disposal system. (Picture source: Japanese MoD)

The commissioning ceremony will take place at the JMU Yokohama facility, featuring a delivery event and the presentation of the Self-Defense Force Flag. JMU President and CEO Takashi Hirose will conduct the handover, while Rear Admiral Tomohiko Madono, Superintendent General of the Yokosuka District, will preside over the flag presentation ceremony. The ceremony is scheduled to last from 11:00 to 11:37.

The Nōmi was laid down on May 19, 2021, as part of the Fiscal Year 2020 procurement plan and launched on October 24, 2023. The ship’s name is derived from Higashi Nōmi Island and Nishi Nōmi Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, following the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) tradition of naming minesweepers after islands and straits. This is the first JMSDF vessel to bear the name Nōmi, though a Mikura-class escort vessel of the former Imperial Japanese Navy previously carried a similar designation. The ship will enter service following the completion of sea trials and outfitting.

Designed to neutralize naval mines and ensure safe passage for maritime operations, the Nōmi is equipped with modern sensor and detection systems, including the OPS-39H surface search radar, an OQQ-10-2 minesweeper sonar system, and a ZQS-4 variable-depth mine detection sonar. The ship also carries an OZZ-4 medium-class underwater unmanned vehicle (UUV) for mine hunting, an OXX-2 remotely operated vehicle for intelligence gathering, and the Mitsui EMD self-propelled mine disposal system. Additionally, it features a mast-mounted optical surveillance system with a laser radar for mine detection, enhancing its capability to handle deep-sea mines that target submarines. The vessel is armed with a JM61-RFS 20mm remote-controlled cannon for mine neutralization and self-defense.

Painted with low-visibility gray coatings to reduce its visual detectability, the JS Nōmi has a length of 67 meters, a beam of 11 meters, a depth of 5.2 meters, and a draft of 2.7 meters. The ship has a standard displacement of 690 tons and is powered by two diesel engines generating a total of 2,200 horsepower, reaching a maximum speed of 14 knots (26 km/h). The crew complement is listed as approximately 50 personnel, with some documentation stating a capacity of 60. The construction cost for Nōmi was 12.6 billion yen. The fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) hull, designed to reduce its magnetic signature, enhances durability while lowering long-term maintenance costs compared to traditional wooden minesweepers.

Optimized for locating and neutralizing deep-sea mines, particularly those designed to target submarines such as the new Raigei, the Awaji class is among the world’s most advanced non-magnetic minesweepers, replacing older wooden-hulled vessels from the Yaeyama class. The first ship in the class, JS Awaji (MSO-304), was laid down in 2014, launched in 2015, and commissioned in 2017. It was followed by JS Hirado (MSO-305), commissioned in 2018, and JS Etajima (MSO-306), commissioned in 2021. The fourth ship, JS Nōmi (MSO-307), is scheduled for commissioning in March 2025. The JMSDF allocated 134 billion yen in the 2022 fiscal year for the construction of a fifth Awaji-class ship (MSO-308), expected to be commissioned in 2026, and 262 billion yen in the 2024 budget for a sixth ship (MSO-309), which is planned for completion in a later phase.