Akizuki-class destroyer (1959)

For the World War II class of the same name, see Akizuki-class destroyer (1942). For the 21st century class, see Akizuki-class destroyer (2010).
JDS Akizuki
Class overview
NameAkizuki class
Builders
Operators Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
Preceded byMurasame class
Succeeded byYamagumo class
In service1960–1993
Completed2
Retired2
General characteristics
TypeDestroyer
Displacement
  • 2,350 long tons (2,388 t) standard
  • 2,890 long tons (2,936 t) normal
Length118 m (387 ft 2 in)
Beam12 m (39 ft 4 in)
Draft4 m (13 ft 1 in)
Propulsion2 steam turbines, 4 boilers 45,000 shp (34,000 kW) / 2 shafts, 2 propellers
Speed32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph) max.
Complement330
Sensors &
processing systems
Electronic warfare
& decoys		NOLR-1 ESM
Armament

The Akizuki-class destroyer was a destroyer class built for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) in the late 1950s. This class was planned to be a flotilla leader with the enhanced command and control capability, so sometimes this class was classified as the "DDC" (commanding destroyer) unofficially.

Design

Initially, the American Military Assistance Advisory Group-Japan (MAAG-J) recommended a modified version of the American Fletcher class, but Japan had already constructed surface combatants of their own at that time. As a result, the project of this class was financed by the Off Shore Procurement (OSP) of the United States, but design and construction were completely indigenous.[1]

Like its predecessors, the Murasame and Ayanami classes, this class adopted a "long forecastle" design with inclined afterdeck called "Holland Slope", named after the scenic sloping street in Nagasaki City.[2] With the enlargement of the hull, the steam turbine propulsion system was uprated with higher-pressure boilers (570 psi).[3]

This class was equipped with both the gunnery weapons of the Murasame class[4] and the torpedo/mine weapons of the Ayanami class. Alongside these anti-submarine weapons, and similar to those of the Ayanami class, the Akizuki class were the first vessels equipped with a Mk.108 Weapon Alpha. While the JMSDF desired this American ASW rocket launcher originally, it became clear that its performance wasn't as good as was believed. It was later replaced by a Type 71 375 mm (15 in) quadruple ASW rocket launcher (the Japanese version of the Swedish M/50) in 1976.[5]

Pennant no. Name Laid down Launched Commissioned Decommissioned
DD-161
ASU-7010		 Akizuki 31 July 1958 26 June 1959 13 February 1960 7 December 1993
DD-162
ASU-7012
TV-3504		 Teruzuki 15 August 1958 24 June 1959 29 February 1960 27 September 1993

References

  1. ^ "History of Japanese destroyers since 1952". Ships of the World (in Japanese) (742). Kaijin-sha: 91–97. June 2011.
  2. ^ "1. Hull (Hardware of JMSDF destroyers)". Ships of the World (in Japanese) (742). Kaijin-sha: 100–105. June 2011.
  3. ^ Yasuo Abe (June 2011). "2. Propulsion system (Hardware of JMSDF destroyers)". Ships of the World (in Japanese) (742). Kaijin-sha: 106–111.
  4. ^ "2. Guns (Shipboard weapons of JMSDF 1952-2010)". Ships of the World (in Japanese) (721). Kaijin-sha: 88–93. March 2010.
  5. ^ "3. Underwater weapons (Shipboard weapons of JMSDF 1952-2010)". Ships of the World (in Japanese) (721). Kaijin-sha: 94–99. March 2010.
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