Meet our people - Sam Cameron, Defence SVP, and the relationships he has built with Japan

There have been many milestones and occasions to celebrate over the last 60 years for Defence in Japan. One of those has been our long relationship with Kawasaki Heavy Industries spanning about 50 years. Within that relationship the most predominant segment for Defence has been our Maritime gas turbines which started with the introduction of Olympus engines powering the JS Ishikari in the 1980s. To date KHI has worked with us to supply around 200 naval gas turbines to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Indeed, today Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force is the largest user of Rolls-Royce gas turbines for ship main propulsion globally (excluding gensets), a position that both KHI and Rolls-Royce are working to maintain with the introduction of the MT30 into Japan on the 12 Mogami Class frigates (30FFM), the 12 New FFMs and the ASEV programme. Combined these total 30+ MT30 engines. Like any relationship there has been up and downs with many challenges, some that continue today, but through close business and one-to-one relationships we have worked through issues by developing a deeper understanding and trust of each other, our respective priorities and our cultural expectations, which, without the close relationships, would in themselves become an additional challenge.

As Rolls-Royce Defence looks forward to the next 60 years in Japan, we have a once in a generation opportunity alongside our Japanese industry partners to maintain, grow and deepen our long association with the Self Defense Forces. For Maritime, the MT30 introduction will provide a greater range of capability to Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force not just for the platforms noted above, but for those in planning and to come with their increasing power demands.