Uwajima-class minesweeper

Last updated

680 nagashima.jpg
JS Nagashima
Class overview
NameUwajima
Builders
Preceded by Hatsushima class
Succeeded by Sugashima class
Built1989-1996
In commission1990-2020
Planned9
Completed9
Retired9
General characteristics
Type Minesweeper
Displacement
Length58  m (190  ft 3  in)
Beam9.4 m (30 ft 10 in)
Draft2.9 m (9 ft 6 in)
Depth4.2 m (13 ft 9 in)
Propulsion
Speed14  kn (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Complement45
Sensors &
processing systems
Armament1 × single JM61R-MS 20mm guns

The Uwajimaclass is a class of coastal minesweepers of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. [1]

Contents

Development

From the lessons learned from the 1991 dispatch of the Self-Defense Forces to the Persian Gulf, the Maritime Self-Defense Force took the example of the Royal Navy's Sandown class minehunter, built after the 1994 plan, especially in order to improve its capabilities regarding mine clearance. However, while the Sandown class is basically a minesweeper that does not have minesweeping ability. The waters around Japan have many muddy seabeds that are not suitable for minesweeping, and abandonment of minesweeping ability is unacceptable. For this reason, the class is also given the ability to sweep with Australian-made DYAD-sensitive minesweepers, but due to magnetic management issues, it was decided that it would not be installed all the time, but would be received from the mother ship at sea as needed. Operational restrictions were large, and mobility was also restricted. [2] [3]

For this reason, it was built as a new type of minesweeper equipped with a domestic system that has the same performance as the overseas-made minesweeping system equipped in the Sugashima class, as well as realizing the installation of minesweepers on its own boat. [2]

Ships in the class

Pennant no.NameBuildersLaid downLaunchedCommissionedDecommissionedHome port
MSC-672 Uwajima Nippon Kokan, Keihin 18 May 198923 May 199019 December 199024 June 2010 Yokosuka
MSC-673 Ieshima Hitachi Zosen Corporation, Kanagawa 12 May 198912 June 199016 May 2014Yokosuka
MSC-674 Tsukishima 27 May 199123 July 199223 July 199321 March 2012Yokosuka
MSC-675 Maejima 1 June 199210 June 199315 December 199327 March 2017Yokosuka
MSC-676 Kumejima Nippon Kokan, Keihin17 February 19939 December 199312 December 199427 March 2018 Kure
MSC-677 Makishima Hitachi Zosen Corporation, Kanagawa12 May 199326 May 19932 April 2014Kure
MSC-678 Tobishima Nippon Kokan, Keihin22 June 199330 August 199410 March 199512 May 2014Kure
MSC-679 Yugeshima Hitachi Zosen Corporation, Kanagawa10 April 199524 May 199511 December 19961 October 2020Kure
MSC-680 Nagashima Nippon Kokan, Keihin14 April 199530 May 199625 December 1996Kure

Citations

  1. Self-Defense Forces Equipment Yearbook 2006-2007. Asagumo Shimbun. pp. 250–251. ISBN   4-7509-1027-9.
  2. 1 2 Details of the new minesweeper Hirashima, Ships of the World. Vol. 694. Japan: Gaijinsha. August 2008. pp. 154–159.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  3. Takahashi, Yoichi (May 2013). Mine Warships (Special Feature: Maritime Self-Defense Force's New Weapons)-(Notable New Weapons), Ships of the World. Vol. 778. Japan: Gaijinsha. pp. 92–97.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: year (link)