Haruna-class destroyer

Hiei (DDH-142) at Pearl Harbor in 2006
Hiei (DDH-142) at Pearl Harbor in 2006
Class overview
NameHaruna class
Operators Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
Succeeded byShirane class
Built1970–1973
In commission1973–2011
Completed2
Retired2
General characteristics
TypeDestroyer
Displacement
  • 4,950 long tons (5,029 t) standard
  • 6,900 long tons (7,011 t) full load
Length153.1 m (502 ft)
Beam17.5 m (57 ft 5 in)
Draft5.2 m (17 ft 1 in)
Propulsion
  • 2 boilers 850 psi (60 kg/cm², 5.9 MPa), 430 °C
  • 2 turbines
  • 2 shafts
  • 60,000 hp (45,000 kW)
Speed31 knots (36 mph; 57 km/h)
Complement
  • 370
  • 360 (DDH-141)
  • 36 officers
Armament
Aircraft carried3 × SH-60J(K) anti-submarine helicopters

The Haruna-class destroyer was a destroyer class built for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) in the early 1970s. These helicopter carrying destroyers (DDH) were built around a large central hangar which housed up to three helicopters.

Originally, the Coastal Safety Force and its successor, the JMSDF, had intended to enable its fleet aviation operating capability. In 1960, the Defense Agency planned to construct one helicopter carrier (CVH) with the Second Defense Build-up Plan, but this project was shelved and finally cancelled because the JMSDF changed their plan to dispersing its fleet aviation assets among destroyers, not concentrating in a few helicopter carriers.[1] The Japanese DDH was planned to be a hub with this dispersing fleet aviation concept with their logistics service capability for aircraft.[2]

At the beginning, equipment of this class were similar to those of the Takatsuki-class DDA. All weapons, two 5-inch/54 caliber Mark 42 (Type 73) guns and one Type 74 octuple missile launcher (Japanese version of the American Mark 16 GMLS), were settled on the forecastle deck. But with the Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) program in 1983 and 1984, Sea Sparrow launchers, Phalanx CIWS systems and chaff launchers were added on the superstructure.[3][4] The upgrade program also added the Naval Tactical Data System (NTDS) with the OYQ-6/7 combat direction system.[5]

The rear half of the superstructure was helicopter hangar, and the afterdeck was the helicopter deck with a beartrap system. To operate large HSS-2 ASW helicopters safely, the full length of the helicopter deck reached 50 meters.[6]

  1. ^ National Diet Library (1987-05-19). "the record of the proceedings of the budget committee (vol.15)". Retrieved 2012-10-08.
  2. ^ "History of Japanese destroyers since 1952". Ships of the World (in Japanese) (742). Kaijin-sha: 91–97. June 2011.
  3. ^ "2. Guns (Shipboard weapons of JMSDF 1952-2010)". Ships of the World (in Japanese) (721). Kaijin-sha: 88–93. March 2010.
  4. ^ Keiichi Nogi [in Japanese] (March 2010). "1. Missiles (Shipboard weapons of JMSDF 1952-2010)". Ships of the World (in Japanese) (721). Kaijin-sha: 82–87.
  5. ^ Makoto Yamazaki (October 2011). "Combat systems of modern Japanese destroyers". Ships of the World (in Japanese) (748). Kaijin-sha: 98–107.
  6. ^ "Aviation equipment of JMSDF ships". Ships of the World (in Japanese) (696). Kaijin-sha: 100–103. October 2008.