en JS Hirado

	JS Hirado and JS Awaji on 30 April 2018
History
Japan
Name	Hirado; (ひらど);
Namesake	Hirado
Ordered	2014
Builder	JMU, Yokohama
Laid down	10 April 2015
Launched	10 February 2017
Commissioned	16 March 2018
Homeport	Yokosuka
Identification	Pennant number: MSO-305
Status	Active
General characteristics
Class and type	Awaji-class minesweeper
Displacement	690 t (680 long tons) standard
Length	66.8 m (219 ft 2 in)
Beam	11 m (36 ft 1 in)
Draft	2.7 m (8 ft 10 in)
Depth	5.2 m (17 ft 1 in)
Propulsion	2 × diesel electric engines; 2 × shafts;
Speed	14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Complement	54
Sensors and ; processing systems	OPS-39H surface-search radar; OQQ-10-1 sonar; ZQS-4 sonar; OZZ-2 UUV;
Armament	1 × single JM61R-MS 20mm guns

JS Hirado (MSO-305) is the second ship of the Awaji-class minesweepers of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).

Construction and career

Hirado was laid down on 10 April 2015 and launched on 10 February 2017 by Japan Marine United Yokohama Shipyard. She was commissioned on 16 March 2018 and incorporated into the 1st Mine Warfare Group and deployed to Yokosuka.^[1]^[2]

From July 18 to July 30, 2018, she conducted a mine warfare training and a Japan-US-India joint minesweeping special training in Mutsu Bay.^[3]

^ "海自、掃海艦「ひらど」進水＝１８年３月就役予定：時事ドットコム". Archived from the original on 23 September 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
^ "掃海艦「ひらど」の引渡式・自衛艦旗授与式について" [Handover Ceremony and Presentation of the Self-Defense Force Flag for the Minesweeper "Hirado"] (PDF) (Press release) (in Japanese). Maritime Staff Office. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
^ "平成３０年度機雷戦訓練（陸奥湾）及び掃海特別訓練（日米印共同訓練）の実施について" [FY2018 Mine Warfare Training (Mutsu Bay) and Special Minesweeping Training (Japan-US-India Joint Training)] (PDF) (Press release). Maritime Staff Office. Retrieved 20 December 2024.