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JS Ise (DDH-182)

2011 MODERN NAVY

JS Ise (DDH-182) History

The JDS Ise (DDH-182) served as a "helicopter destroyer" in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) - also known as the Japanese Navy after World War II. As a helicopter destroyer, the vehicle combines the qualities of a naval destroyer and a helicopter carrier, so it can serve various roles associated with the Japanese Navy. JDS Ise is the second ship in the two-man "Hyuga-class" led by JDS Hyruga (DDH-181). Ise was laid by IHI Marine United on May 30, 2008 and officially launched on August 21, 2009.

The ship was officially commissioned on March 16, 2011, with Wugang as its home port. It is named after the Japanese province of Ise ("Ise Province") located in the south-central part of mainland Japan. Ise's motto is "Preparation, Professionalism, Integrity".

When built, the Ise displaces 14,000 tons at standard operating load and up to 18,000 tons at full combat load. She has a bow to stern length of 587 feet, a beam of 108 feet, and a draft of 23 feet. The typical crew size is 370 people.

Her physical features include an in-line flight deck, designed only for the launch and recovery of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, primarily naval helicopters in service with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force - so she's not really an "aircraft carrier" by Western standards ". To accomplish this task, the bow, stern and port parts of the flight deck are free of obstructions, leaving only the island superstructure offset to starboard. The superstructure is also fitted with a main mast and a pair of flat, fully enclosed chimneys to reduce radar signature. Ise typically deploys 3 Sikorsky SH-60K Seahawks and 1 medium AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin helicopter, equipped for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) missions, but can deploy up to 11 rotor units at full load.

The Ise features a fully enclosed hangar facility accessible via a hangar elevator on the flight deck.

JDS ISE is equipped with a large number of advanced processing and sensor equipment - "ATECS" as "Advanced Technology Command System", under which there are OYQ-10 Combat Command and Control System, FCS-3 Air Defense Warfare (AAW) system (Phased Array Radar), OQQ-21 Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) System, NOLQ-3C Electronic Warfare (EW) System and OPS-20C Series Surface Search Radar Suite.

In terms of weapons, JDS ISE has a 16-cell vertical launch missile arsenal in the Mk 41 VLS (Vertical Launch System). This launcher primarily replaced the various deck guns that had been found on earlier destroyer designs. Additional missile weapons include 16 RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSM), introduced by the US Navy in 2004 as an advanced medium-range air defense measure. To deal with underwater threats, Ise was authorized to use 2 x 324 mm triple torpedo launchers. Close defense is handled by digitally controlled 2 x 20mm Phalanx Close Weapon Systems (CIWS), one mounted in the bow and the other in the stern.

Up to 4 x 12.7mm heavy machine guns guarantee extreme close range defense.

The Ise's propulsion system uses a COGAG ("Combined Gas and Gas") arrangement, which basically consists of a pair of gas turbines that power separate reduction gears, which are then connected to separate clutches. From there drive goes to a single gearbox, which in turn drives a single propeller shaft system. This arrangement allows multiple engine sources to drive a single shaft - with both engines running or a single unit running to save fuel. An alternative to COGAG is CODAG ("Combined Diesel and Gas"), which combines a diesel engine and a gasoline turbine. However, compared to CODAG arrangements, COGAG systems are generally more compact (at the expense of overall fuel efficiency at optimum cruising speed).

In the case of Ise, the COGAG function is coordinated by 4 Ishikawajima Harima/General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines producing 100,000 horsepower to power her twin five-blade shafts at a top speed of over 30 knots.

The JMSDF primarily uses its JDS Ise as an anti-submarine platform, consistent with its available weapons and wings. As a result, the ship can operate independently of the fleet or in conjunction with other ships and aircraft to locate, track and pursue potential enemy threats. Its weapons can also be used to defend against incoming airborne enemies, including low-flying fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and cruise missiles. Their advanced, secure and state-of-the-art communications suite also allows them to command any JMSDF fleet in wartime or exercise conditions.

If Japan continues its commitment to the US Lockheed F-35 Lightning II (in the form of a Short Takeoff Vertical Landing (STOVL) such as the F-35B), the aircraft is understood to operate outside of the Japanese helicopter fleet, Like the Ise, which further expands the ship's tactical range. Another potential future application is the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor transport aircraft.

While the Hyuga-class replaced the earlier Haruna-class destroyers, the Hyuga-class itself was recently replaced by the new, larger Izumo-class destroyers. The JDS Izumo (DDH-183) entered service on August 6, 2013 and is scheduled to enter service sometime in 2015.