JS Hibiki

For other ships with the same name, see Japanese ship Hibiki.

JS Hibiki
History
Japan
Name	Hibiki (ひびき)
Namesake	Hibiki
Ordered	1989
Builder	Mitsui, Tamano
Laid down	28 November 1989
Launched	27 July 1990
Commissioned	30 January 1991 [1]
Homeport	Kure
Identification	MMSI number: 431999584 Hull number: AOS-5201
Status	Active
General characteristics
Class and type	Hibiki-class ocean surveillance ship
Displacement	2,850–3,800 long tons (2,896–3,861  t) full load
Length	67.0 m (219 ft 10 in)
Beam	29.9 m (98 ft 1 in)
Draft	7.5 m (24 ft 7 in)
Propulsion	4 × Mitsubishi S6U-MPTK diesel engines 2 x shafts
Speed	11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph)
Complement	40
Sensors and processing systems	OPS-16 OPS-9 Sonar AN / UQQ-2
Aviation facilities	Helipad

JS Hibiki (AOS-5201) is a Hibiki-class ocean surveillance ship of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).

Development and design

Hibiki-class vessels have a beam of 30 metres (98 ft 5 in), a top speed of 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph), and a standard range of 3,800 nautical miles (7,000 km; 4,400 mi). ^[2] Each vessel has a crew of 40, including five American civilian technicians, and a flight deck for helicopters to operate off of. ^{[3] [4]} They are able to deploy on station for 90 days. ^[4]

The vessels have an AN/UQQ-2 Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System (SURTASS), which was installed in the United States. ^{[5] [4]} Data from the sensors is relayed through the Defense Satellite Communications System and processed and shared with the United States. ^[4] The data is fed into the Integrated Undersea Surveillance System. ^[6]

Propulsion is provided by four Mitsubishi S6U-MPTK diesel electric engines. ^[7]

Construction and career

Hibiki was laid down on 28 November 1989 at Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding, Tamano and launched on 27 July 1990. She was commissioned on 30 January 1991. Currently, her homeport is in Kure.^{[ citation needed ]}

After deployment, from 9 March 1991, she was circulated to Oakland, California, United States, for proficiency training after service, and, after learning the SURTASS system, she was equipped with a sonar array in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. After the equipment certification test was completed, she returned to Japan on 17 October 1991.^{[ citation needed ]}

Full-scale operation started in April 1992, and the actual operation was where the anti-submarine information analysis center on land began.^{[ citation needed ]}

On 1 December 2015, the Oceanographic Command Group was reorganized into the Oceanographic Command and Anti-submarine Support Group and was incorporated into the 1st Acoustic Measurement Corps, which was newly formed under the same group.^{[ citation needed ]}

On 1 November 2017, a crew system was introduced to the 1st Acoustic Measurement Corps for the first time as a JMSDF ship, and, from now on, the crew will not be fixed, as three crews will operate two ships alternately. ^[8]

References

1. Vavasseur, Xavier (8 March 2021). "JMSDF commissions new Hibiki-Class SURTASS / Ocean Surveillance Ship JS Aki" . Retrieved 27 January 2025.
2. Jane, Frederick Thomas (2010). Jane's Fighting Ships. S. Low, Marston & Company. p. 433. ISBN   978-0-7106-2920-3.
3. Dominguez, Gabriel (3 February 2020). "Japan launches third Hibiki-class ocean surveillance ship". Jane's Information Group.
4. Graham, Euan (16 November 2005). Japan's Sea Lane Security: A Matter of Life and Death?. Routledge. p. 404. ISBN   978-1-134-25091-2.
5. "AOS Hibiki Class". GlobalSecurity.org. Archived from the original on 15 February 2017.
6. "Japan's Ears on the Sea". Medium. 4 July 2014. Archived from the original on 8 July 2017.
7. "AOS Hibiki Class". GlobalSecurity.org. Archived from the original on 5 September 2009.
8. Introducing a crew system to the 1st Acoustic Measurement Team. Asagumo Shinbun. 7 December 2017. p. 1.