Japan Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

Re: JMSDF Akizuki Class DDG (19DD AEGIS-like)

Bltizo said:

Jeff, do you have a source in regards to this ships final production run? Everywhere I've looked it appears only 4 of these destroyers are on order, with not even a shadow for more down the pipeline.

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The first four have already been built and launched.

The JMSDF is discussing/planning ordering four more. They are meant as escorts for the Hyuga, the Kaga (22DDH), the Kongo AEGIS, and the Atago AEGIS Classes (the AEGIS vessels when operating in BMD roles). There are a total of ten of those vessels. They know they will need more than four Akizukis to accomplish their escort mission. But nothing has been approved yet.

Re: JMSDF Akizuki Class DDG (19DD AEGIS-like)

I suppose it would not be unprecedented, but for projects even like 22DH we had some warning before they actually announced construction, or for the ROKN's sejong deal it was well known they had an option to purchase 3 more on top of the 3 they had.

The akizuki ddgs are quite strange as well, they have relatively small APARs, and are only equipped with 32 VLS cells (even if ESSMs can be quadpacked) yet this ship displaces a whopping 7000 tons.

I can't help but perceive it as an uber-glorified frigate, and if the JMSDF really want an escort type ship, I feel a frigate in the 054A or GCS weight class would be more affordable and able to be constructed in the numbers they'd need.

Re: JMSDF Akizuki Class DDG (19DD AEGIS-like)

Bltizo said:

I suppose it would not be unprecedented, but for projects even like 22DH we had some warning before they actually announced construction, or for the ROKN's sejong deal it was well known they had an option to purchase 3 more on top of the 3 they had.

The akizuki ddgs are quite strange as well, they have relatively small APARs, and are only equipped with 32 VLS cells (even if ESSMs can be quadpacked) yet this ship displaces a whopping 7000 tons.

I can't help but perceive it as an uber-glorified frigate, and if the JMSDF really want an escort type ship, I feel a frigate in the 054A or GCS weight class would be more affordable and able to be constructed in the numbers they'd need.

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Well, at 7,000 tons and with its armament, it is IMHO clearly a DDG. At almost 500ft long and a 60ft beam, it is not a small vessel.

The Japanese sensor suite is pretty good and is probably not light. They pack all cells with the ESSMs, which means up to 128 missiles out to the 50km range of the ESSM (Though the normal load out will be 64 AAW missiles and 6 VL-ASROC missiles the Japanese have developed). This is a very strong mid-range area coverage with the ESSM which is designed to take down all of the modern cruise missile SSMs, both high, low, high-low, and low-high flight profiles with High-G maneuvering. They also have two of the latest upgrade Phalanx CIWS.

With the Harpoon SSMs, the 127mm guns, the onboard torpedoes, the ASROCS and their embarked SH-60K, and the hull mounted and towe arrays, they are strong all around, multi-mission DDGs.

Re: Japan's military build-up

New news...which could represent a significant build-up and major upgrade to JMSDF capabilities.

The Japanese have apparently proposed another new carrier vessel for the Japanese Maritime Self defense Force (JMSDF). This is in addition to the two Hyuga Class (16DDH) vessels already built and the two Kaga Class (22DDG) vessels which are currently building.

These new vessels would displace 24,000 tons each, but would not include any additional troop or cargo/vehicle transport capabilities (as the Hyuga and Kaga Classes do) and would thus increase the size of its air wing. In addition, these vessels are apparently being purpose designed for fixed wing aircraft operations. Here is a write up regarding the new carrier from a 21C forum announcing and discussing projects from the Technical Research and Development Institute in Japan:

26DDH Aircraft Carrier

26DDH is a new major Japanese destroyer program. The 26DDH has is being desinged with its primary function to provide long-range air-defense, with secondary roles, providing anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfae, and serving as a command and control vessel. This vessel is designed with lessons and technologies derived from other recent destroyer programs (the Atago class, the Hyuga class, the Akizuki class and the Kaga Class) while also representing a doctrinal shift in Japanese maritime defense thinking. This shift will blend the technologies already implemented in other new Japanese military ship designs in a unique way, allowing the ships to fulfill their missions. As such, these vessels will not be comparable to any other JMSDF class in service today. One of explaining their primary function is to compare them to historical precedents. If existing Japanese helicopter destroyers like the Hyuga and Kaga classes would be compared to the escort carriers during World War II, then these new vessels would be comparable to the Sea Control ship proposed in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s by the US Navy.

Accordingly, the ship’s primary mission is to harness its survivability, range, and the power of naval aviation in order to defend Japanese territory and sea lanes. As such, each ship will be designed to carry one squadron of aircraft for fleet and air defense, one squadron of aircraft for anti-submarine warfare, and one squadron of aircraft for long-range sensing. These three squadrons will make up the primary weapons system of the ship. The three aviation squadrons will provide four salient capabilities for the fleet; fleet/air defense, anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, and recon/search functions. The 26DDH will focus on the deployment of fixed-wing aviation, with emphasis on extended range over existing JMSDF capabilities and all-weather operations. This air wing will be comprised of twelve (12) F-35B attack/fighter aircraft, eight (8) V-22 Osprey aircraft, and four (4) SH-60K helicopters. The Ospreys will provide enhanced cargo, ASW, and AEW&C capabilities for the fleet.

In terms of the ship design itself, the 26DDH although the vessels will be 3,000 tons smaller than the preceding Kaga-class, they will have a larger air-wing. This will be accomplished by eliminating provisions for troop transport, or other cargo transport beyond what is required for the stated missions of the ship. Improved automation will also reduce the crew of the ship substantially. Despite its smaller size, the 26DDH will be longer than the Kaga-class to improve the ease of short-takeoff operations, indirectly increasing the range and weapons capacity of the aircraft deployed on-board. The 26DDH will also have a larger self defense capability than the other JMSDF vessels of the Kaga and Hyuga classes. This will consist of adding peripheral VLS (Mk 57) cells in order to add an area defense capability as a compliment to the area defense capabilities of its AEGIS and/or Akizuki escorts. These VLS cells will carry both Standard and ESSM missiles.

The first ship is expected to be ordered in 2014, and commissioned in 2018. The cost of each ship will be $1.5 Billion. Two ships of the class are proposed to be included in each of the JMSDF destroyer flotillas. If this holds true, then it will mean that the production run of the 26DDH vessels will be significantly larger than those of the Hyuga and Kaga classes which produced two vessels each, and would produce a total of eight of these vessels

Specifications:

Displacement: 24,000t (full)
Length: 250m (812 ft)
Beam: 35m (123 ft)
Draft: 7.5m (25 ft)
Propulsion: COGAG, two shafts
Speed: 32kt
Range: 15,000km at 15 knots
Sensors:
Crew: 800
- ATECS OYQ-11 CDS Battle Management System
- FCS-3A Anti-air Warfare Aystem
- OPS-50 Surface Search Radar
- OQQ-22 Integrated Hull Sonar
- OQR-3 Towed Array
Aircraft:
- 12 x F-35B attack/fighter Aircraft
- 08 x HV-22 Osprey Aircraft
- 04 x SH-60K Helicopters
Armament:
- 2 x Sea RAM (21 missiles each for a total of 42)
- 2 x 20mm Phalanx
- 8 x Mk 57 4-cell modules (32 cells)

Re: JMSDF Akizuki Class DDG (19DD AEGIS-like)

Most certainly its displacement warrants the DDG prefix, however its armament and sensor suite -- 8 SSM, 1 main gun (127mm no less), hull and towed sonar, PAR system, and especially the relatively limited 32 Mk-41 VLS, makes it appear underarmed for a ship of that size.

But I can't help feel some eurofrigates, and even 054A to an extent, has a legitimate parity to it in terms of armament, and they are quite a bit smaller than akizuki as well.

The new hobart DDGs will displace similarly to akizuki and carry a 48 cell VLS. I just wonder how much of the akizuki's excess weight is dedicated to its advanced electronics and other internal improvements, and how much of it may be due to... crew comfort facilities, perhaps? It is a similar question one would pose to Type 45 DDGs, which at 8000+ tons, only carry 48 Aster missiles.

Re: JMSDF Akizuki Class DDG (19DD AEGIS-like)

Bltizo said:

Most certainly its displacement warrants the DDG prefix, however its armament and sensor suite -- 8 SSM, 1 main gun (127mm no less), hull and towed sonar, PAR system, and especially the relatively limited 32 Mk-41 VLS, makes it appear underarmed for a ship of that size.

But I can't help feel some eurofrigates, and even 054A to an extent, has a legitimate parity to it in terms of armament, and they are quite a bit smaller than akizuki as well.

The new hobart DDGs will displace similarly to akizuki and carry a 48 cell VLS. I just wonder how much of the akizuki's excess weight is dedicated to its advanced electronics and other internal improvements, and how much of it may be due to... crew comfort facilities, perhaps? It is a similar question one would pose to Type 45 DDGs, which at 8000+ tons, only carry 48 Aster missiles.

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Well, those 32 cells and their new combat system were designed specifically for the ESSM. So, we are really talking about up to 128 AAW missiles, or, as they plan I believe. 64 ESSMs and 16 of the new Japanese VL-ASROCs, and that is a very strong AAW and ASW fit.

As to her other capabilities, she is similarly armed to most other DDGs with her eight SSMs and her helo, but has a very strong ASW sonar fit.

Having said that, I have no doubt that the JMSDF has dedicated some of her design to ensuring that the crew is as comfortable as possible.

Outside of the eight SSMs, I do not think a Type 054A can come close to those capabilities...although for their size, the Type 054A are very good FFGs.

Re: JMSDF Akizuki Class DDG (19DD AEGIS-like)

It costs almost $1B each, not cheap at all. I bet even 052D would cost less than Akizuki and potentially 052D has much more fire power and stronger AESA

Re: JMSDF Akizuki Class DDG (19DD AEGIS-like)

antiterror13 said:

It costs almost $1B each, not cheap at all. I bet even 052D would cost less than Akizuki and potentially 052D has much more fire power and stronger AESA

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Well, we shall have to wait and see exactly what the Type 052D capabilities are. As I said, the Akizuki was not designed to be a long range shooter. Holding 64 very effective AAW missiles out to 50km, 16 VL-ASROCS, it's 8 SSMs, and the helo and ASW suite are what it was designed for in order to serve in an inner ring protection for high value vessels, and for AEGIS vessels serving in a BMD role. It will do that very well, and one of the reasons will be all of that vey expensive electronics.

The Type 052D AESA may be more powerful and have a longer range, but I doubt it is as effective a the new Japanese CDS with the Thales ICWI and multi band radar. But time will tell.

In the mean time, these are very good destroyers. Saying that does not necessarily mean that the Type 052D or others (like the Type 054A) are bad. They are all designed to fulfill as best they can the differing missions (and some of those missions are the same) that they were built for.

Re: JMSDF Akizuki Class DDG (19DD AEGIS-like)

Thanks Jeff for your informations.

Homeport :

AKIZUKI Sasebo/Escort Flotilla 1 (Yokosuka)/Escort Squadron 5
TERUZUKI Yokosuka/Escort Flotilla 2 (Sasebo)/Escort Squadron 6

I explain JMSDF ships are not always based in the same location/port as their unit of attachment, that is very rare in the navies, the only case to my knowledge.
And it is more difficult to make a OOB.

Re: JMSDF Akizuki Class DDG (19DD AEGIS-like)

FORBIN said:

Homeport :

AKIZUKI Sasebo/Escort Flotilla 1 (Yokosuka)/Escort Squadron 5
TERUZUKI Yokosuka/Escort Flotilla 2 (Sasebo)/Escort Squadron 6

.

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The 3rd and 4th were already launched too, but are outfitting, both to be commissioned in 2014. Here's the best picture I have found of DDG-118 Fuyuzuki :


And a video of her launch:


And finally, a great video aboard the Akizuki, including live videos on her bridge: