American_Raider

It's the fifth of its kind for JSDFN.







The Atago class of guided missile destroyers is an improved version of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF)'s Kongō class destroyers that are currently under construction. It is a Japanese varient of United States Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyer (Flight II), in comparison to Kongō-class/Arleigh Burke-class (Flight I) which only had helicopter platforms (but no support equipment), these ships have better helicopter handling facilities.

In 2000, the Japan Defense Agency Maritime Staff Office included another two Aegis ships in its five-year budget. This was made alongside the potential for another four destroyers of the Kongō class, though no such extra orders have been placed yet.

The proposed fire-control system for the Atago is Aegis Weapon System Baseline 7 phase 1, which will include a combination of U.S. and Japanese manufactured systems to make up the complete Aegis system. Like the Kongō class, the Atago destroyers will be equipped with a comprehensive suite of weapon systems including:

Specs:

Displacement: 7700 tons standard, 10,000+ tons full load
Length: 170m
Beam: 21 m
Draft: 6.2 m
Propulsion: 4 Ishikawajima Harima/General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines;
two shafts,
100,000 shaft horsepower (75 MW)
Speed: 30 knots (56 km/h)
Crew Complement: 300
Armament: • 8 x SSM-1B SSM
• RIM-67 Standard SAM
• ASROC anti-submarine rocket
• 1 x 5 inch (127 mm/62 cal) Mk-45 mod 4 (lightweight gun)
• 2 x 20 mm Phalanx CIWS
• 2 x Mark 32 triple torpedo tubes
(6 x Mk-46 torpedoes)
Aircraft: 2 x Helicopters (Room only)

Nice looking ship...

awangmamat

She is indeed.

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Dreadnought

Funny how it looks just like one of ours huh?

I bet NK is real happy to these being launched.

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TopHatter

This is Japan's way of telling the NK's: "Go screw yourselves"

Dreadnought

Next thing you know they (NK among others) will be confusing a Japanese DDG for an American DDG. The half assed media/political rants should prove interesting.

JBG

Well put, Dreadnought.

They are good looking ships in the, well, I don't know, Arleigh Burke style! Good Japanese electronics too.

The stats indicated ASROC. The ships probaly also carry Harpoon, as is the usual Japanese practice as they can all be fired ( with the Standards ) from the same VLS.

Are there two VLS systems, one fore and one aft?

Is there any suggestion of ESSM being fitted for the same VLS? Or are the Japanese keeping that info to themselves?

Jonathan

HKDan

I think pretty highly of the capabilities of the JMSDF. In addtition to the two new Aegis ships that they are getting, they are also going to get new 13,500 ton DDH or helicopter destroyers that are causing controversy because they look a lot like little aircraft carriers.
069-074

wkllaw

Does Japan really need these things, North Korea can't do a thing about the Japanese navy, North Korea pretty much have a large, but obsolete force. I can understand why there are chinese fears of a Japanese remilitarization.

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Dreadnought

IMO and I'm no expert but it appears they want to grow and it seems they arent off to a bad start either. Im sure many gentlemen here could give far better insight as far as politics/economics that drives them and their motives. But if we can be friendly enough and share technology like AEGIS, it sure seems nice to have another "capable" and differently looked upon friendly out there thats not in the spotlight like America and the USN.

TopHatter

There is more than merely North Korea to worry about, but let's look at North Korea for a minute.

What are those Aegis destroyers primary mission? Air defence.
What is North Korea's big military pursuit these days? Missiles.
What is the single biggest threat to Japan from North Korea? Missiles.

It's not the DPRK navy that Japan is worried about.

At the same time, putting North Korea on the shelf for the moment, let's look at Japan itself.

Japan is a highly industrialized island nation, completely dependent on imported raw materials and energy, her nuclear energy program notwithstanding. Conversely, she has to export her manufactured goods.

Both her import and export takes place almost solely via merchant marine.

What's a darn good thing for such a nation like Japan have? A strong navy.

Yep, Japan really does need "those things".

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ArmchairGeneral

I believe they carry Harpoon, but they would be in a separate launcher. Harpoons don't fit in the Mk 41 VLS. I think the weapons fit is pretty much the same as the Burkes.

Is Japan involved in the SM-3 project?

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HKDan

While it is completely true that the North Korean Navy poses no threat whatsoever to Japan, that is not the whole picture. These Aegis destroyers are what Japan intends to use to counter North Korean ballistic missiles, and so in that sense they are legitimate defensive tools.
Chinese fears of Japanese rearmament are an entirely different issue. Japan is taking on a greater role in its own security and in regional security. This is supported by the US and also has growing support within Japan. This makes some countires uncomfortable, especially China and the Koreas. Japan still has a very long way to go with regards to apologizing for its behavior during the second world war. The sad thing is that the hostility that Japans refusal to take responsibility for its actions provokes, especially among Chinese, is a contributing factor to why Japan is expanding its military. China being very vocal about its displeasure with Japan(and sometimes expressing this displeasure in not appropriate ways) causes Japan to be wary of China's growing power and take steps to ensure its own safety. A nasty cycle.

HKDan

Japan is very much involved in the SM-3 project. The newly launched Atago will carry the SM-3, although Im not sure when that capability will be operational.

awangmamat

A strong Japanese navy is not just aimed at the North Koreans. Clearly, Japan is also thinking about China.

Blademaster

Even though Japan has a strong navy, it is still reliant on US Navy for its security. As OOE says, if it wasn't for the US presence, everybody, inlcuding S. Korea and Phillipines, would be ganging up against Japan. Only US presence has prevented that.