JS Ashigara (DDG-178)

History

Japan's position in the world and its overall geographic makeup compelled it to have a large naval force consisting of various aircraft carriers, support ships, submarines, destroyers, etc. Included in the list is the Atago class, designed to the specifications of a guided missile destroyer to support naval operations or as a standalone submarine/ship hunter or airspace deterrent platform.

Consisting of just two ships - JS Atago (DDG-177) and JS Ashigara (DDG-178) - the Atago class is an advanced offshoot of the previous Kongo class, commissioned in the 1990s.

JS Ashigara (DDG-178), named after Mount Ashigara, ordered in 2003 and built by craftsmen at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) in Nagasaki. Her keel was laid on April 6, 2005, and she was officially launched on August 30, 2006, completing her testing, sea trials and final outfitting.

On March 13, 2008, the warship officially entered service with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and currently (2020) has a home port in Sasebo, Japan.

JS Ashigara was the first Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ship to be given the prefix "JS", while other ships before it were given the JDS ("Japanese Defense Ship").

The standard load of the warship is 7,700 tons, and the full load is 10,000 tons. A length of 560 feet combined with a beam of 68.9 feet and a draft of 20.3 feet make up her size. Power comes from 4 x Ishikawajima Harima (General Electric) LM2500-30 gas turbines rated at 100,000 hp and 2 x axles, allowing the vessel to propel at 30 knots.

The range is a useful 4,500 nautical miles.

Ashigara has a crew of 300 and can deploy a helicopter from its stern platform, typically a Sikorsky SH-60K naval helicopter for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and over-the-horizon work (OtH). Combat kits are available for the AN/SPY-1D(V) series.

Armament includes a 5" (127mm) /L62 Mk 45 Mod 4 deck gun and turret, 2 x 20mm Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) and 2 x rocket launchers using the Type 90 (SSM-1B ) missile support (8 reloads available). Also, design highlights: 64-unit Vertical Launch System (VLS) in the vestibule and 32-unit VLS in the stern.

Missile types supported include SM-2MR, SM-3, and RUM-139 The VL-ASROC weapon is rounded off by 2 x 68 triple torpedo tubes to deal with threats to surface and underwater combatants.

The shape of the boat is consistent with the modern design: the front building is largely unobstructed, only the tower is visible. The 64-unit VLS sits directly on the bottom of the hull superstructure. The front part of the superstructure contains bridge and tower works and utilizes slab edges. The structure is layered, leading to a straight, fully enclosed smoke funnel.

The aft superstructure is attached behind a second set of chimneys and leads to the helipad.

Since taking office, JS Ashigara and her crew have been assisting with recovery efforts related to the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and subsequent tsunami. In April 2017, she debuted as part of the U.S.-led deterrent force (including the aircraft carrier USS Belongs).

Carl Vinson) near the Korean peninsula, as North Korea advances its nuclear program.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

ARMAMENT

AIR WING