The Murasame class destroyer is a third-generation general purpose destroyer in service with 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).

The Murasame was a successor to the , and like its predecessor, it mainly tasked with ASW

Anti-submarine warfare

Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....

 and ASuW

Anti-Surface Warfare

Anti-surface warfare is a type of naval warfare directed against surface combatants. More generally, it is any weapons, sensors, or operations intended to attack or limit the effectiveness of an adversary's surface ships....

. It shows a number of improvements to design and equipment, such as:
Introduction of stealth technology

Stealth technology

Stealth technology also termed LO technology is a sub-discipline of military tactics and passive electronic countermeasures, which cover a range of techniques used with personnel, aircraft, ships, submarines, and missiles, to make them less visible to radar, infrared, sonar and other detection...

.

Both superstructure and hull have angled rather than the traditional vertical surfaces. There is however no angled tripod mainmast like the one of the American 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...

 because of the heavy weather of the Sea of Japan

Sea of Japan

The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...

 in winter.

New-generation C4I system.

This class is equipped with the new generation OYQ-9 combat direction system and the OYQ-103 ASW control system. The OYQ-9 CDS is composed of one AN/UYK-43

AN/UYK-43

The AN/UYK-43 was the standard 32-bit computer of the United States Navy for surface ship and submarine platforms, starting in 1984. Some 1250 units had been delivered through 2000. The size of a refrigerator, it replaced the older AN/UYK-7, both built by UNISYS and shared the same instruction set...

, one AN/UYK-44

AN/UYK-44

The AN/UYK-44 is the standard 16-bit computer of the U.S. Navy used in surface ship, submarine, and ground C4I platforms....

, and AN/UYQ-21 workstations. The totality of the OYQ-103 and associated sub-systems is the Japanese equivalent of the American AN/SQQ-89 ASWCS.

Enhanced electronics.

The advanced OPS-24 active electronically scanned array

Active Electronically Scanned Array

An Active Electronically Scanned Array , also known as active phased array radar is a type of phased array radar whose transmitter and receiver functions are composed of numerous small solid-state transmit/receive modules . AESAs aim their "beam" by broadcasting radio energy that interfere...

 radar and OPS-28 surface search and target acquisition radar introduced into the fleet with the Asagiri-class

Asagiri class destroyer

The Asagiri-class destroyer was built in the mid-1980s and late 1980s and is in service with the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force.This class of general purpose destroyer is almost extended version of its predecessor Hatsuyuki-class destroyers, and similarly, it mainly tasked with ASW and ASUW...

 remains on board, and there are some new system such as the NOLQ-3 integrated electronic warfare

Electronic warfare

Electronic warfare refers to any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults via the spectrum. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponent the advantage of, and ensure friendly...

 system and OQS-5 hull sonar. The NOLQ-3 EW suite is thought to be the Japanese equivalent of the American AN/SLQ-32.

Modified missile systems.

To enhance the low-observability and combat readiness capability, the Mk.41 vertical launching system

Vertical Launching System

A vertical launching system is a system for holding and firing missiles on surface ships and submarines used by many navies around the world. Each VLS system consists of a number of cells, which can hold one or more missiles ready for firing...

 (for the RUM-139 VL ASROC) and Mk.48 VLS (for the Sea Sparrow) replace the traditional swivel octuple launchers. And the surface-to-surface missile

Surface-to-surface missile

A surface-to-surface missile is a guided projectile launched from a hand-held, vehicle mounted, trailer mounted or fixed installation or from a ship. They are often powered by a rocket motor or sometimes fired by an explosive charge, since the launching platform is typically stationary or moving...

 system is alternated by the SSM-1B of Japanese make. Currently, ships of this class have been switching the point defense missile system from the traditional Sea Sparrow to the Evolved Sea Sparrow.

The Murasame class was designed to replace the JMSDF's smaller destroyers that were reaching block obsolescence, ensuring the fleet could maintain its strength while increasing its firepower. It was originally planned that 14 of these would be built, but this was reduced to nine when the
(a modified variant of the Murasame) was designed and construction begun.

The Murasame-class destroyers' weapon systems include the Evolved Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missile

Surface-to-air missile

A 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...

, Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missile, RUM-139 VL ASROC, the SSM 1B anti-ship missile

Anti-ship missile

Anti-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...

, two Mark 15 20 mm Phalanx

Phalanx CIWS

The Phalanx CIWS is an anti-ship missile defense system. It is a close-in weapon system and was designed and manufactured by the General Dynamics Corporation, Pomona Division...

 CIWS gun mounts, two torpedo

Torpedo

The 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 and a 76 mm 62cal rapid-fire naval gun.

With the exception of Kirisame, all ships of the class are named for World War II destroyers.

Ships in the class

Pennant no.	Name	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned	Home port
DD-101		18 August 1993	23 August 1994	12 March 1996	Yokosuka
DD-102		11 August 1994	16 October 1995	24 March 1997	Yokosuka
DD-103		18 March 1996	19 August 1997	4 March 1999	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...
DD-104		3 April 1996	21 August 1997	18 March 1999	Sasebo
DD-105		8 May 1997	9 September 1998	15 March 2000	Kure Kure, Hiroshima is a city in Hiroshima prefecture, Japan.As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 240,820 and a population density of 681 persons per km². The total area is 353.74 km².- History :...
DD-106		11 September 1997	24 September 1998	21 March 2000	Kure
DD-107		25 February 1998	24 June 1999	14 March 2001	Yokosuka
DD-108		29 October 1999	25 September 2000	19 March 2002	Kure
DD-109		18 May 1999	16 October 2000	6 March 2002	Sasebo

External links

• GlobalSecurity.org; JMSDF DD Murasame Class