Ayanami-class destroyer

Not to be confused with Fubuki-class destroyer § Type II (Ayanami).
Ayanami class member Ayanami
Class overview
NameAyanami class
Operators Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
Preceded byHarukaze class
Succeeded byMurasame class
Built1956–1960
In commission1958–1990
Completed7
Retired7
General characteristics
TypeDestroyer
Displacement
  • 1,720 t (1,690 long tons) standard
  • 2,500 t (2,500 long tons) full load
Length109 m (358 ft)
Beam10.7 m (35 ft)
Depth8.1 m (26 ft 7 in)
Complement220
Sensors and
processing systems
Electronic warfare
& decoys		NOLR-1
Armament

The Ayanami class was a destroyer class built for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) in the late 1950s. The primary purpose was anti-submarine warfare, so this class was classified as "DDK" (hunter-killer anti-submarine destroyer) unofficially.[1]

Design

This class adopted a "long forecastle" design with inclined afterdeck called "Holland Slope", named after the scenic sloping street in Nagasaki City.[2] Their steam turbine propulsion systems were similar to the ones of the Harukaze class, but they varied between each ship in the class as part of the JMSDF's attempt to find the best propulsion system for its future surface combatants.[3]

The Ayanami class were the first JMSDF vessels equipped with six 3-inch/50 caliber Mark 22 guns with Mark 33 dual mounts and Mark 32 lightweight torpedoes with two Mark 2 over-the-side launchers.[4] 3-inch guns were controlled by two Mark 63 GFCSs.[5]

All seven vessels names had previously been borne by ships of the World War II-era Fubuki and Yūgumo-class destroyer classes.

Ships in the class
Pennant no. Name Builder[6] Laid down[6] Launched[6] Commissioned [6] Decommissioned[6]
DD-103/ASU-7004 Ayanami Mitsubishi Zosen, Nagasaki 20 November 1956 1 June 1957 12 February 1958 25 December 1986
DD-104/TV-3502 Isonami Shin-Mitsubishi, Kobe 14 December 1956 30 September 1957 14 March 1958 1 July 1987
DD-105/ASU-7005 Uranami Kawasaki, Tokyo 1 February 1957 29 August 1957 27 February 1958 25 December 1986
DD-106/TV-3503 Shikinami Mitsui Zosen, Tamano 14 December 1956 25 September 1957 15 March 1958 1 July 1987
DD-110/ASU-7009 Takanami Mitsui Zosen, Tamano 8 November 1958 8 August 1959 30 January 1960 1 March 1989
DD-111/ASU-7013 Ōnami or Oonami[7] Ishikawajima HI, Kobe 20 March 1959 13 February 1960 29 August 1960 1 March 1990
DD-112/ASU-7014 Makinami Iono HI, Maizuru 20 March 1959 25 April 1960 28 October 1960 1 March 1990

Notes

  1. ^ "History of Japanese destroyers since 1952". Ships of the World (in Japanese) (742). Kaijin-sha: 91–97. June 2011.
  2. ^ "1. Hull (Hardware of JMSDF destroyers)". Ships of the World (in Japanese) (742). Kaijin-sha: 100–105. June 2011.
  3. ^ Yasuo Abe (June 2011). "2. Propulsion system (Hardware of JMSDF destroyers)". Ships of the World (in Japanese) (742). Kaijin-sha: 106–111.
  4. ^ "3. Underwater weapons (Shipboard weapons of JMSDF 1952-2010)". Ships of the World (721). Kaijin-sha: 94–99. March 2010.
  5. ^ "2. Guns (Shipboard weapons of JMSDF 1952-2010)". Ships of the World (721). Kaijin-sha: 88–93. March 2010.
  6. ^ a b c d e Gardiner and Chumbley 1995, p. 223.
  7. ^ Sometimes Oonami depending on romanization

References

  • Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen (1995). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.