Hyūga class helicopter destroyer

Hyūga at sea in 2010
Class overview
Builders:	IHI Marine United
Operators:	Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
Preceded by:	Haruna class
Completed:	2
Active:	2
General characteristics
Type:	Helicopter carrier
Displacement:	13,950 tons standard; 19,000 tons full load
Length:	197 m (646 ft)
Beam:	33 m (108 ft)
Draft:	7 m (23 ft)
Propulsion:	COGAG, two shafts, 100,000 hp (75,000 kW)
Speed:	more than 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Complement:	360 (Hyūga) 371 (Ise)
Sensors and processing systems:	ATECS (advanced technology command system) OYQ-10 advanced combat direction system FCS-3 AAW system OQQ-21 ASW system NOLQ-3C EW system OPS-20C surface search radar
Armament:	16 cells Mk 41 VLS 16 ESSM 12 RUM-139 VL ASROC 2 × 20 mm Phalanx CIWS 2 × triple 324 mm torpedo tubes 12.7mm MG
Aircraft carried:	Up to 11. Usual air wing is 3 × SH-60K, 1 × MCH-101
Aviation facilities:	Flight deck and enclosed hangar

The Hyūga-class helicopter destroyer (ひゅうが型護衛艦, Hyūga-gata-goei-kan ) are a type of helicopter carrier being built for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). Two ships of the class were built to replace the two 7,000-ton Haruna-class helicopter destroyers. The new ships are the largest combatant ship operated by Japan since the Imperial Japanese Navy was superseded by the JMSDF. The first ship in the class, Hyūga, was commissioned on March 18, 2009 and stationed in Yokosuka, near Tokyo. The second ship Ise went into service on March 16, 2011 and will be stationed in Kure.

The Hyūga-class' specifications are comparable to light aircraft carriers, such as Italian Giuseppe Garibaldi, Spanish Principe de Asturias and Royal Navy's Invincible-class carriers. Under the JMSDF's naming conventions, the ships are called Goei-kan (護衛艦, lit. escort ship) in Japanese and destroyer in English, as same as all the other combatant ships of JMSDF.

According to a PBS documentary, JS Hyūga is the "first Japanese aircraft carrier built since WWII."

The Hyuga 's code-name (16DDH) and Ise 's code-name (18DDH) derive from the Japanese calendar, specifically the 16th year and 18th year of the Heisei reign (2004 and 2006), when the provisional title was given.

Design and specifications

The ships' primary mission is to function as an anti-submarine warfare carrier with her SH-60K anti-submarine helicopters. They also have enhanced command-and-control capabilities, allowing them to serve as flagships for the JMSDF. During peacetime operations, or “military operations other than war” (MOOTW), the ships join the Osumi-class ships for peacekeeping and relief operations, as well as the “diverse situations” Japan foresees confronting on the high seas."

The ships are able to carry up to eleven helicopters, relying on a 16-cell VLS carrying the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile surface-to-air missile, along with the Phalanx close in weapon system, for self-defense. They are also equipped with the ATECS command system and FCS-3 phased-array radar system.

Japan plans to build a new 22DDH helicopter carrier, which is larger than the Hyūga class. The new 22DDH will replace the Shirane class helicopter destroyer, which was scheduled to be decommissioned in FY2014.

Its been speculated that the Hyūga class ships would be outfitted with VTOL/STOVL fixed-wing aircrafts, such as Harriers or F-35 Lightning II.

Ships in the class

Construction of the first ship Hyūga was started in 2006 and it was launched on 23 August 2007. The second was launched and named Ise on 21 August 2009.

Pennant no.	Name	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned	Homeport
DDH-181	Hyūga (16DDH)	11 May 2006	23 August 2007	18 March 2009	Yokosuka
DDH-182	Ise (18DDH)	30 May 2008	21 August 2009	16 March 2011	Kure

Hyūga was named after Hyūga Province (日向国, Hyūga no kuni) (present-day Miyazaki Prefecture) on the east coast of Kyūshū, and Ise after Ise Province (伊勢国, Ise no kuni) (present-day Mie Prefecture). They inherited the names of the Ise-class battleship Hyūga and Ise of the Imperial Japanese Navy. These two ships had been built during the World War I and served in World War II. Following the Battle of Midway, the Hyuga and Ise were converted into a hybrid battleship/aircraft carriers in 1943 with the replacement of the aft gun turrets and barbettes by a small flight deck and hangar deck with which they could launch a squadron of Yokosuka D4Y dive-bombers and Aichi E16A seaplanes.

In November 2009, Hyūga participated in Annualex 21G joint naval exercise with USS George Washington (CVN-73) and other USN and JMSDF ships to maintain the interoperability between the two navies.^{[citation needed]}

On 11 March, 2011, the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami struck the northeast part of Japan. Hyūga immediately moved to off the coast of Miyagi prefecture and started search and rescue operation. Ise, which went into service on 16 March, also will join aid delivery operation for refuge shelters.

Gallery

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  JDS Hyūga in relation to a Nimitz class aircraft carrier

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  On exercise with a US Navy Wasp class amphibious assault ship

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  JDS Hyūga aircraft hangar

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  aircraft elevator

References

• Herman, Arthur (2007-09-09). "Pacific armadas: growing Far East navies mean new challenges for U.S.". New York Post. http://www.nypost.com/seven/09092007/postopinion/opedcolumnists/pacific_armadas.htm?page=0. Retrieved 2008-07-13. 
• Koda, Yoji (2011). "A New Carrier Race? Strategy, Force Planning, and JS Hyuga". Naval War College Review (2011 - Summer). http://www.usnwc.edu/getattachment/845c374a-6615-4872-9c65-8dcf522739ee/A-New-Carrier-Race--Strategy,-Force-Planning,-and-. 
• Shaplen, Jason T.; James Laney (2007-12-31). "Washington's Eastern Sunset". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/cfr/world/20071101faessay_v86n6_shaplenlaney.html. Retrieved 2008-07-13. 
• "Helicopter carrier commissioned: MSDF's largest combat vessel may raise concerns within Asia". The Japan Times Online. 2009-03-19. http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090319a5.html. Retrieved 2009-03-19. 

External links

• Hyuga Class helicopter destroyer
• Japan Launches Carrier... Sorta
• (Japanese) Color Image (Ships of the World No.650 )
• (Japanese) Photos