Sugashima-class minesweeper

The Sugashima class is a class of coastal minesweepers of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.[1][2]

JS Sugashima
Class overview
NameSugashima
Builders
Preceded byUwajima class
Succeeded byHarishima class
Built1996-2005
In commission2001-present
Planned12
Completed12
Active11
Retired1
General characteristics
TypeMinesweeper
Displacement
Length57 m (187 ft 0 in)
Beam9.8 m (32 ft 2 in)
Depth4.4 m (14 ft 5 in)
Propulsion
Speed14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Complement48
Sensors and
processing systems
Armament1 × single JM61R-MS 20mm guns

Development

From the lessons learned from the 1991 dispatch of the Self-Defense Forces to the Persian Gulf, the Maritime Self-Defense Force took the example of the Royal Navy's Sandown class minehunter, built after the 1994 plan, especially in order to improve its capabilities regarding mine clearance. However, while the Sandown class is basically a minesweeper that does not have minesweeping ability. The waters around Japan have many muddy seabeds that are not suitable for minesweeping, and abandonment of minesweeping ability is unacceptable. For this reason, the class is also given the ability to sweep with Australian-made DYAD-sensitive minesweepers, but due to magnetic management issues, it was decided that it would not be installed all the time, but would be received from the mother ship at sea as needed. Operational restrictions were large, and mobility was also restricted.[3][4]

For this reason, it was built as a new type of minesweeper equipped with a domestic system that has the same performance as the overseas-made minesweeping system equipped in the Sugashima class, as well as realizing the installation of minesweepers on its own boat.[3]

Ships in the class
Pennant no. Name Builders Laid down Launched Commissioned Decommissioned Home port
MSC-681 Sugashima Universal Shipbuilding Corporation, Keihin 8 May 1996 25 August 1997 16 March 1999 Maizuru
MSC-682 Notojima Hitachi Zosen Corporation, Kanagawa 3 September 1997 12 June 2020 Maizuru
MSC-683 Tsunoshima 7 August 1997 22 October 1998 13 March 2000 Kure
MSC-684 Naoshima Nippon Kokan, Keihin 17 April 1998 7 October 1999 16 March 2001 Kure
MSC-685 Toyoshima Hitachi Zosen Corporation, Kanagawa 26 April 1999 13 September 2000 14 March 2002 Sasebo
MSC-686 Ukushima Nippon Kokan, Keihin 17 May 2000 17 September 2001 18 March 2003 Sasebo
MSC-687 Izushima Hitachi Zosen Corporation, Kanagawa 27 April 2000 31 October 2001 Ominato
MSC-688 Aishima Nippon Kokan, Keihin 17 April 2001 8 October 2002 26 February 2004 Maizuru
MSC-689 Aoshima Hitachi Zosen Corporation, Kanagawa 15 April 2002 16 September 2003 9 February 2005 Ominato
MSC-690 Miyajima 28 May 2002 10 October 2003 Kure
MSC-691 Shishijima Universal Shipbuilding Corporation, Keihin 23 May 2003 29 September 2004 8 February 2006 Sasebo
MSC-692 Kuroshima 12 May 2004 31 August 2005 23 February 2007 Sasebo

Citations
  1. Self-Defense Forces Equipment Yearbook 2006-2007. Asagumo Shimbun. 15 July 2006. pp. 250–251. ISBN 4-7509-1027-9.
  2. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 December 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. Details of the new minesweeper Hirashima, Ships of the World. Vol. 694. Japan: Gaijinsha. August 2008. pp. 154–159.
  4. Takahashi, Yoichi (May 2013). Mine Warships (Special Feature: Maritime Self-Defense Force's New Weapons)-(Notable New Weapons), Ships of the World. Vol. 778. Japan: Gaijinsha. pp. 92–97.
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