List of active Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ships

List of active ships of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force is a list of ships in active service with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. The JMSDF is one of the world's largest navies and the second largest navy in Asia in terms of fleet tonnage.[1] As of 2016, the JMSDF operates a total of 155 vessels (including minor auxiliary vessels), including; four helicopter destroyers (or helicopter carriers), 26 destroyers, 10 small destroyers (or frigates), six destroyer escorts (or corvettes), 22 attack submarines, 30 mine countermeasure vessels, six patrol vessels, three landing ship tanks, 8 training vessels and a fleet of various auxiliary ships.[2][3]

JMSDF ensign of Japan.

As of 2013, a procurement list added to the current National Defense Program Guidelines (NDPG) has revealed that, among other things, an additional 48 escort vessels of various classes are planned to be added to the MSDF fleet in the coming decade.[4] In addition, as of 7 July 2013, it was being reported that plans were under way to procure two more Aegis equipped destroyers in order to bolster ongoing BMD efforts, the first to be contracted for in fiscal year 2015 and the other in fiscal year 2016.[5]

Submarine fleet

Submarines

The JMSDF plans to increase the number of submarines from the current number to 22 boats.[6]

Class	Picture	Type	Boats	Displacement	Note
Submarines (20 in Service)
Taigei-class		Attack submarine	JS Taigei	3,000 tonnes (surfaced)	The first submarine of this class, Taigei, will be converted to a test submarine in March 2022. The Taigei class will be operated as an attack submarine from the second boat.[7] Two additional boats not yet launched (October 2020).
Sōryū-class			JS Sōryū JS Unryū JS Hakuryū JS Kenryū JS Zuiryū JS Kokuryū JS Jinryū JS Sekiryū JS Seiryū JS Shōryū JS Ōryū JS Tōryū	2,900 tonnes (surfaced) 4,200 tonnes (submerged)	The JS Ōryū is world's first submarine powered by lithium-ion batteries.[8] JS Tōryū, which is scheduled to be commissioned in March 2021, is the last of the Soryu-class ships.
Oyashio-class			JS Uzushio JS Makishio JS Isoshio JS Narushio JS Kuroshio JS Takashio JS Yaeshio JS Setoshio JS Mochishio	2,750 tonnes (surfaced) 4,000 tonnes (submerged)	2 of 11 built converted to training ships (see Training Vessels below).

Surface fleet

Multi-purpose operation destroyers - DDH (de facto light aircraft carrier)

Class	Picture	Type	Ships	Displacement	Note
Multi-purpose operation destroyers - DDH (2 in Service)
Izumo-class		Multi-purpose operation destroyer (de facto aircraft carrier)	JS Izumo JS Kaga	27,000 tonnes	Re-designated from helicopter destroyer to Multi-purpose operation destroyer following announcement that they will operate F-35B STOVL Aircraft.[9]

Helicopter destroyers - DDH (de facto helicopter carrier)

Class	Picture	Type	Ships	Displacement	Note
Helicopter destroyers - DDH (2 in Service)
Hyūga-class		Helicopter destroyer (or helicopter carrier)	JS Hyūga JS Ise	19,000 tonnes

Landing ships

Class	Picture	Type	Ships	Displacement	Note
Landing ships - LST (3 in Service)
Ōsumi-class		Landing ship tank (de facto Amphibious transport dock)	JS Ōsumi JS Shimokita JS Kunisaki	14,000 tonnes	The Japanese MoD is planning to perform a major refit on the Osumi-class to improve their amphibious capabilities.[10]
Landing craft - LCU (9 in Service)
LCU-2001-class		Utility landing craft	JS LC No.1 JS LC No.2	540 tonnes
YL-09-class		landing craft mechanized	JS YL-11 JS YL-12 JS YL-13 JS YL-14 JS YL-15 JS YL-16 JS YL-17	50 tonnes

Destroyers - DDG/DD

The JMSDF uses the official term Destroyers despite some larger ships being analogous to cruisers and smaller vessels being analogues of frigates by most international classifications.[11]

Class	Picture	Type	Ships	Displacement	Note
Destroyers - DDG/DD (37 in Service)
Maya-class		Guided missile destroyer (Aegis)	JS Maya JS Haguro	10,500 tonnes	JS Haguro is expected to be in commission by 2021.
Atago-class			JS Atago JS Ashigara	10,000 tonnes
Kongō-class			JS Kongō JS Kirishima JS Myōkō JS Chōkai	9,500 tonnes
Hatakaze-class		Guided missile destroyer	JS Shimakaze	5,900 tonnes
Asahi-class		Destroyer	JS Asahi JS Shiranui	6,800 tonnes
Akizuki-class			JS Akizuki JS Teruzuki JS Suzutsuki JS Fuyuzuki	6,800 tonnes
Takanami-class			JS Takanami JS Onami JS Makinami JS Sazanami JS Suzunami	6,300 tonnes
Murasame-class			JS Murasame JS Harusame JS Yūdachi JS Kirisame JS Inazuma JS Samidare JS Ikazuchi JS Akebono JS Ariake	6,100 tonnes
Asagiri-class			JS Asagiri JS Yamagiri JS Yūgiri JS Amagiri JS Hamagiri JS Setogiri JS Sawagiri JS Umigiri	4,900 tonnes
Hatsuyuki-class			JS Matsuyuki	4,000 tonnes

Frigate Multi-Purpose/Mine - FFM

Class	Picture	Type	Ships	Displacement	Note
Frigate Multi-Purpose/Mine - FFM (0 in Service)
30FFM-class		Frigate	JS Kumano	5,500 tonnes	On November 19, 2020, FFM-2 Kumano was launched. The ship class name derived from FFM-1 is not disclosed due to the delay of the construction of FFM-1.

Destroyer escorts - DE

Class	Picture	Type	Ships	Displacement	Note
Destroyer escorts - DE (6 in Service)
Abukuma-class		Destroyer escort (or frigate)	JS Abukuma JS Jintsū JS Ōyodo JS Sendai JS Chikuma JS Tone	2,550 tonnes

Mine countermeasure vessels

Class	Picture	Type	Ships	Displacement	Note
Mine countermeasure vessels (21 in Service)
Uraga-class		Minesweeper	JS Uraga JS Bungo	5,500 tonnes	Categorized as "mine-countermeasures support ship".
Awaji-class			JS Awaji JS Hirado	690 tonnes	JS Etajima will be commissioned in March 2021.
Enoshima-class			JS Enoshima JS Chichijima JS Hatsushima	570 tonnes
Hirashima-class			JS Hirashima JS Yakushima JS Takashima	570 tonnes
Sugashima-class			JS Sugashima JS Tsunoshima JS Naoshima JS Toyoshima JS Ukushima JS Izushima JS Aishima JS Aoshima JS Miyajima JS Shishijima JS Kuroshima	570 tonnes

Patrol vessels

Class	Picture	Type	Ships	Displacement	Note
Patrol vessels (6 in Service)
Hayabusa-class		Patrol boat	JS Hayabusa JS Wakataka JS Otaka JS Kumataka JS Umitaka JS Shirataka	240 tonnes

Training vessels

Class	Picture	Type	Ships	Displacement	Note
Training vessels (8 in Service)
Kashima-class		Cadet training ship	JS Kashima	4,050 tonnes
Shimayuki-class		Training vessel	JS Shimayuki JS Setoyuki	3,000 tonnes	Reconverted Hatsuyuki-class destroyers.
Hatakaze-class			JS Hatakaze	5,900 tonnes	Converted Hatakaze-class guided missile destroyer.
Oyashio-class		Training submarine	JS Oyashio JS Michishio	4,000 tonnes	Reconverted Oyashio-class submarines.
Kurobe-class		Training support ship	JS Kurobe
Tenryū-class			JS Tenryū

Auxiliary fleet

Replenishment ships

Class	Picture	Type	Ships	Displacement	Note
Replenishment ships (5 in Service)
Mashū-class		Replenishment oiler	JS Mashū JS Ōmi	25,000 tonnes
Towada-class			JS Hamana JS Tokiwa JS Towada	15,000 tonnes

Miscellaneous

Class	Picture	Type	Ships	Displacement	Note
Miscellaneous (16 in Service)
Hiuchi-class		Training support ship	JS Hiuchi JS Suo JS Amakusa JS Genkai JS Enshu	1,000 tonnes
		Cable laying ship	JS Muroto
		Submarine rescue vessel	JS Chiyoda	5,600 tonnes (standard)	JMSDF commissions new submarine rescue ship[12]
			JS Chihaya	6,900 tonnes
Futami-class		Oceanographic research ship	JS Wakasa
			JS Nichinan
			JS Shōnan
Hibiki-class		Ocean surveillance ship	JS Hibiki JS Harima JS Aki[13]		JS Aki is expected to be in commission by March 2021.[14]
		Experiment ship	JS Asuka
		Ice breaker	JS Shirase	20,000 tonnes
		Yacht	JS Hashidate

Future JMSDF vessels

• In 2014, Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera expressed the intention of buying one amphibious assault ship from the United States to provide more amphibious capabilities than the current Osumi class landing ships. The Wasp-class amphibious assault ship is most likely candidate for acquisition.[15]
• In 2020, Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi announces plan to build 2 new Aegis destroyers to replace scrapped land-based missile interceptors. [16]

See also

• Hatakaze (destroyer)

References

1. IISS 2010, Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force
2. "Escort ship". Archived from the original on 23 December 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
3. "Submarine (vessels)". Archived from the original on 22 December 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
4. "EDITORIAL: Defense Ministry's 'shopping list' needs a radical review". AJW by The Asahi Shimbun. Archived from the original on 24 December 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
5. Japan eyes two new Aegis destroyers to counter N. Korea missile threat Archived 8 July 2013 at the Wayback Machine Japan Times, 7 July 2013
6. "Japanese Ministry of Defense website, 2015 Defense Budget" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
7. "防衛計画の大綱 中期防衛力整備計画" (PDF). Ministry of Defense (Japan). 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
8. Japan commissions first Sōryū-class submarine equipped with lithium-ion batteries Jane's, 05 March 2020
9. "Japan avoids flak by refusing to call flattop 'aircraft carrier'：The Asahi Shimbun". The Asahi Shimbun. Archived from the original on 26 May 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
10. "readdailynews.com". readdailynews.com. Archived from the original on 22 January 2014. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
11. John Pike. "Japanese Warships - Equipment Holdings". Archived from the original on 26 February 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
12. "JMSDF commissions new submarine rescue ship". 20 March 2018. Archived from the original on 23 March 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
13. Dominguez, Gabriel (3 February 2020). "Japan launches third Hibiki-class ocean surveillance ship". Jane's Information Group.
14. "JMSDF orders third, more advanced, Hibiki-class ship". 21 May 2018. Archived from the original on 22 May 2018. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
15. "Onodera sets out plans to buy amphibious assault ships". Archived from the original on 26 July 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
16. "Japan Defense Ministry plans new Aegis destroyers in place of Aegis Ashore". Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2020.

External links

• Website on the Imperial Japanese Navy: JMSDF vessels

Bibliography

• IISS (2010). Military Balance 2010. Routledge, London. ISBN 1857435575.