Chikugo-class destroyer escort

The Chikugo-class destroyer escort (or frigate) was a class of destroyer escorts built by the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force as the successor of the Isuzu class, with the same ASW mission. This class was followed by JDS Ishikari. This is the first Japanese destroyer escort class to carry ASROC anti-submarine missiles.

Class overview
Name: Chikugo class
Operators:  Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
Preceded by: Isuzu class
Succeeded by: Ishikari class
In commission: 1971–2003
Completed: 11
Retired: 11
General characteristics
Type: Destroyer escort
Displacement: 1,700–1,800 long tons (1,727–1,829 t) full load
Length: 93.0 m (305.1 ft)
Beam: 10.8 m (35 ft)
Draught: 3.5 m (11 ft)
Depth: 7.0 metres (23.0 ft)
Propulsion:
Speed: 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Range: 5,500 nmi (10,200 km) at 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement: 165
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • TDS-1 Target Designation System
  • OPS-14 2D air search radar
  • OPS-17 surface search radar
  • FCS-1B gun FCS
  • OQS-3A bow sonar
  • SQS-35(J) VDS
  • SFCS-4 Underwater Battery FCS
Electronic warfare
& decoys:
  • NOLR-1 ESM (Earlier batch)
  • NOLR-5 ESM (Latter batch)
Armament:

The class entered service with Chikugo in 1971. Eleven ships were constructed and saw service until the mid-1990s and early 2000s. All vessels in the class were retired with Noshiro being the last to decommission in 2003.

Design

This class was designed as the modified variant of the Isuzu class, the preceding destroyer escort class. The main anti-submarine weapon was changed from the M/50 375 mm (14.8 in) ASW rocket launcher to the ASROC Anti-submarine missile. The octuple launcher for ASROC was stationed at the mid-deck, and the entire ship design was prescribed by this stationing. To exploit the range of ASROC, this class was equipped with the long-range low-frequency (5 kHz) bow sonar, OQS-3A (Japanese version of the AN/SQS-23),[1] and in addition, the latter batch had SQS-35(J) Variable Depth Sonar system. These anti-submarine sensors and weapons could be compare with those of destroyers in the main fleet of this age, such as Minegumo class and Yamagumo class.[2]

In contrast to their anti-submarine capability, the anti-aircraft fire power was weakened compared to the preceding class. The foredeck gun was a Type 68 3"/50 caliber twin cannon controlled by a FCS-1B Gun Fire Control System, which was standard anti-air weapon system in the JMSDF of this age. But the afterdeck gun was the old-fashioned Bofors 40 mm L/60 twin cannon, lacking the anti-ship missile defense (ASMD) capability. The final batch of this class was planned to equipped with the new Oerlikon 35 mm twin cannon, but this plan was frustrated because of the budgetary consideration.[2]

Ships in the class
Hull no.NameLaid downLaunchedCommissionedDecommissioned
DE-215ChikugoDecember 9, 1968January 13, 1970July 31, 1971April 15, 1996
DE-216AyaseDecember 5, 1969September 16, 1970May 20, 1971August 1, 1996
DE-217MikumaMarch 17, 1970February 16, 1971August 26, 1971July 8, 1997
DE-218TokachiDecember 11, 1970November 25, 1971May 17, 1972April 15, 1998
DE-219IwaseAugust 6, 1971June 29, 1972December 12, 1972October 16, 1998
DE-220ChitoseOctober 7, 1971January 25, 1973August 31, 1973April 13, 1999
DE-221NiyodoSeptember 20, 1972August 28, 1973February 28, 1974June 24, 1999
DE-222TeshioJuly 11, 1973May 29, 1974January 10, 1975June 27, 2000
DE-223YoshinoSeptember 28, 1973August 22, 1974February 6, 1975May 15, 2001
DE-224KumanoMay 29, 1974February 24, 1975November 19, 1975May 18, 2001
DE-225NoshiroJanuary 27, 1976December 23, 1976June 30, 1977March 13, 2003

References
  1. Norman Friedman (2006). The Naval Institute guide to world naval weapon systems. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 9781557502629.
  2. Abe, Yasuo (May 2003). "Looking back on Chikugo class escort vessels". Ships of the World (in Japanese). Kaijinn-sha (610): 92–97.
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