Atago class destroyer
Encyclopedia
The is an improved version of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
The , or JMSDF, is the naval branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, tasked with the naval defense of Japan. It was formed following the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy after World War II....
(JMSDF)'s Kongō class destroyers
Kongo class destroyer
The of guided missile destroyers serves as the core ship of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force 's Escort Flotillas. They are a modification of the United States Navy's Arleigh Burke class .-Design:...
. It is a Japanese variant of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
Arleigh Burke-class destroyer
Arleigh Burke class destroyer
The Arleigh Burke class of guided missile destroyers is the United States Navy's first class of destroyer built around the Aegis combat system and the SPY-1D multi-function phased array radar. The class is named for Admiral Arleigh "31-Knot" Burke, the most famous American destroyer officer of...
(Flight IIA).
Both ships of the class share a same name with Japanese World War II cruisers.
Design
Aegis combat system
The Aegis Combat System is an integrated naval weapons system developed by the Missile and Surface Radar Division of RCA, and now produced by Lockheed Martin...
ships in its five-year budget on top of the four Kongo class destroyers originally ordered.
The Atago class is fundamentally an improved and scaled up version of Kongō class destroyers
Kongo class destroyer
The of guided missile destroyers serves as the core ship of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force 's Escort Flotillas. They are a modification of the United States Navy's Arleigh Burke class .-Design:...
. It features large accommodation and capable of flexible operation. One of the most obvious changes is an additional hangar to carry one SH-60K
SH-60 Seahawk
The Sikorsky SH-60/MH-60 Seahawk is a twin turboshaft engine, multi-mission United States Navy helicopter based on the United States Army UH-60 Black Hawk and a member of the Sikorsky S-70 family. The most significant airframe modification is a hinged tail to reduce its footprint aboard ships.The...
helicopter. In comparison to the Kongō-class/Arleigh Burke-class (Flight I) which only had helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
platforms (but no support equipment), these ships have better helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
handling facilities. To enhance Atago class' function as command centers, the bridge is two floors higher than Arleigh Burke-class Flight IIA, making her full load displacement over 10,000 tons—the first time for a JMSDF surface combat vessel. The gun caliber has extended from the 54 caliber of the Kongō class to the 62 caliber with strengthened powder charge capable 38 km firing range . As with other Japanese ships being refit, the American-made Harpoon missiles (such as in the initial configuration of the Kongō class) have been replaced with the Japanese-made Type 90 (SSM-1B) surface-to-surface guided missiles.
Japan has also purchased a manufacturing license for these weapons for use on their Kongo class Aegis destroyers. Japan Steel Works will manufacture, assemble and test the weapons.
The fire-control system for the Atago is Aegis Weapon System Baseline 7 phase 1
Aegis combat system
The Aegis Combat System is an integrated naval weapons system developed by the Missile and Surface Radar Division of RCA, and now produced by Lockheed Martin...
, which will combine American- and Japanese-manufactured systems to make up the complete Aegis system. The Aegis Weapon System baseline 7 has improved tracking accuracy for vertical targets, and an acquisition capability for small low-altitude targets compared with the Aegis Weapon System baseline 4 and 5, used in Kongō class. The Atago also use a new stealthier plain-structure mast, which was originally designed in Japan, rather than familiar lattice type mast. New modified smokestack and other improvements are also introduced to make Atago stealthier.
Like the Kongō class, the Atago destroyers are equipped with a comprehensive suite of weapon systems including:
- Japan Type 90 (SSM-1B) anti-ship missileAnti-ship missileAnti-ship missiles are guided missiles that are designed for use against ships and large boats. Most anti-ship missiles are of the sea-skimming type, many use a combination of inertial guidance and radar homing...
- 96-cell Mk-41 VLS (64 cells in the forward area, 32 cells in the stern area)
- RIM-66 StandardRIM-66 StandardThe RIM-66 Standard MR is a medium range surface-to-air missile originally developed for the United States Navy . The SM-1 was developed as a replacement for the RIM-2 Terrier and RIM-24 Tartar that were deployed in the 1950s on a variety of USN ships...
surface-to-air missileSurface-to-air missileA surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles... - RUM-139 VL ASROC
- Two Mark 15 20 mm CIWS gun mounts
- Two torpedoTorpedoThe modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
mounts in a triple-tube configuration - One Mk 45 Mod 4 127 mm 62-caliber gun, in a stealth-shaped mount. Made by Japan Steel Works under an American license from its original manufacturer.
In keeping with Japan's post-war pacifist constitution
Constitution of Japan
The is the fundamental law of Japan. It was enacted on 3 May, 1947 as a new constitution for postwar Japan.-Outline:The constitution provides for a parliamentary system of government and guarantees certain fundamental rights...
, the Atago class does not carry the Tomahawk missile.
While the two ships of Atago class are entering service, the Tachikaze class destroyer
Tachikaze class destroyer
The Tachikaze class destroyer is a second generation Guided missile destroyer, formerly in service with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force . The ships of this class have had successive improvements after their completion, especially to their C4I systems...
s, Tachikaze and Asakaze are to be decommissioned.
Ships in the class
| Building No. | Pennant No. | Name | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Home port |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2317 | DDG-177 | Atago JDS Atago (DDG-177) (DDG-177） is an Atago class guided missile destroyer in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). Atago was named for Mount Atago.She was laid down by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Nagasaki, Nagasaki on April 5, 2004, launched on August 24, 2005; and commissioned on March 15,... |
5 April 2004 | 24 August 2005 | 15 March 2007 | Maizuru Maizuru, Kyoto is a city located in Kyōto, Japan, on an inlet of the Sea of Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 89,626 and the density of 264 persons per km². The total area is .The city was founded on May 27, 1943.... |
| 2318 | DDG-178 | Ashigara JS Ashigara (DDG-178) JS Ashigara is an Atago class guided missile destroyer in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force . Ashigara was named for Mount Ashigara, and is the first Japanese ship to bear the prefix JS instead of JDS .She was laid down by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Nagasaki, Nagasaki on April 6, 2005,... |
6 April 2005 | 30 August 2006 | 13 March 2008 | Sasebo Sasebo, Nagasaki is a city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. As of 2011, the city has an estimated population of 259,800 and the density of 609 persons per km². The total area is 426.47 km². The locality is famed for its scenic beauty. The city includes a part of Saikai National Park... |