Shirane-class destroyer

The Shirane-class destroyers were a pair of Japanese destroyers originally built during the late 1970s. They are built around a large central hangar which houses up to three helicopters and they are the natural successor of the Haruna-class destroyers.

Kurama (DDH-144) at sea in 2011
Class overview
Name: Shirane-class destroyer
Builders: Ishikawajima-Harima, Tokyo
Operators:  Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
Preceded by: Haruna-class destroyer
Succeeded by: Hyūga-class helicopter destroyer
Built: 1977–1981
In commission: 1980–2017
Planned: 2
Completed: 2
Retired: 2
General characteristics
Type: Destroyer
Displacement:
  • 5,200 long tons (5,283 t) standard
  • 7,500 long tons (7,620 t) full load
Length: 159 m (522 ft)
Beam: 17.5 m (57 ft 5 in)
Draft: 5.3 m (17 ft 5 in)
Propulsion:
  • 2 × IHI boilers 850 psi (60 kg/cm², 5.9 MPa), 430 °C
  • 2 × turbines
  • 2 shafts
  • 70,000 shp (52 MW)
Speed: 31 knots (36 mph; 57 km/h)
Complement:
  • 350
  • 360 (DDH-144)
  • 20 staff
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • OPS-12 3D Air-search radar
  • OPS-28 surface-search radar
  • OQS-101 bow sonar
  • SQS-35/SQR-18 VDS-TASS
Electronic warfare
& decoys:
Armament:
Aircraft carried: 3 × SH-60J(K) anti-submarine helicopters

Design

The Shirane class incorporates an improved design based on the Haruna-class destroyers. The ships propulsion include two steam boilers with two shafts that produce 70.000 hp and gives a maximum speed of 32 knots.

Its armament includes two Mk.42 127mm guns, two 20-mm Phalanx close-in weapon systems, one Surface-to-air RIM-7 Sea Sparrow launcher, torpedoes and anti-submarine rockets.[1] The ships has been replaced by the new Izumo-class helicopter destroyers.

Ships in the class
Pennant no.NameLaid downLaunchedCommissionedDecommissionedHome port
DDH-143Shirane 25 February 197718 September 1978 17 March 198025 March 2015Yokosuka
DDH-144Kurama 17 February 197820 September 1979 27 March 198122 March 2017Sasebo

Operational use

On December 15, 2007, a fire broke out on board Shirane near the rudder house as it was anchored at Yokosuka. It took seven hours to extinguish the fire, which injured four crew members.[2]

On 27 October 2009, JS Kurama collided with a South Korean container ship under the Kanmonkyo Bridge in the Kanmon Straits off the coast of Japan.[3] While neither ship sunk, the bow of Kurama was badly damaged and burned for hours. Three Kurama crew members were reported injured.[4]

References
  1. http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/shirane-class-helicopter-destroyers-japan/
  2. "Latest Stories". www.dawn.com. December 15, 2007. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
  3. Mari Yamaguchi (2009-10-27). "World Naval Ships Forums - View Single Post - JDS Kurama (DDH-144) Collision". www.worldnavalships.com. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
  4. "CBC News - World - Japanese destroyer collides with Korean ship". cbc.ca. 2009-10-27. Retrieved 2010-08-14.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.