Natsushio-class submarine
The Natsushio-class submarines were significantly smaller than the next generation Japanese submarines, Ōshio, and the Natsushio-class submarines were the development of the Hayashio-class submarines. Also, the Natsushio class is one of the (coast-defence) hunter-killer submarine (SSK) of JMSDF. Construction of the two subs in the class was approved under the First Defense Buildup Program 1958-1960. However, the MSDF brass did not welcome the small submarines. Ongoing maneuvering regarding defense spending by the Ministry of Finance did not help matters. At the time, the Maritime Staff Office was trying to move the MSDF away from being a predominantly green-water navy (due to politics and budgetary issues this would not begin to happen until the 1980s). Small coastal SSKs like the Natsushios did not fit into such plans for the future. Therefore, neither further examples nor a successor class were built.
JS Natsushio (SS-523) | |
Class overview | |
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Name: | Natsushio |
Builders: | |
Operators: | Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force |
Preceded by: | Hayashio class |
Succeeded by: | JDS Ōshio |
Built: | 1961–1963 |
In commission: | 1963–1980 |
Planned: | 2 |
Completed: | 2 |
Retired: | 2 |
General characteristics | |
Type: | Coastal attack submarine |
Displacement: | 790 long tons (803 t) surfaced |
Length: | 61 m (200 ft 2 in) |
Beam: | 6.5 m (21 ft 4 in) |
Draft: | 4.1 m (13 ft 5 in) |
Depth: | 6.4 m (21 ft 0 in) |
Propulsion: |
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Speed: |
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Complement: | 40 |
Armament: | 3 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes |
Boats in class
Project no. | Building no. | Pennant no. | Name | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
S116 | 8703 | SS-523 | Natsushio (なつしお) | 5 December 1961 | 18 September 1962 | 29 June 1963 | Decommissioned 20 March 1978, scrapped |
8704 | SS-524 | Fuyushio (ふゆしお) | 6 December 1961 | 14 December 1962 | 17 September 1963 | Decommissioned 10 June 1980, scrapped | |
See also
- Quebec-class submarine - Soviet Navy
- Draken-class submarine - Royal Swedish Navy
- Toti-class submarine - Marina Militare (Italian Navy)
- Ro-100-class submarine - Imperial Japanese Navy
- Ha-201-class submarine - Imperial Japanese Navy