JDS Amatsukaze

JDS Amatsukaze was planned as the DDG variant of the preceding Akizuki-class anti-aircraft destroyers, mounting the American Tartar Guided Missile Fire Control System weapon system. However, the Tartar system turned out to be larger than expected, so Amatsukaze's design was altered completely, with an enlarged hull and with a shelter-deck design based on that of the Isuzu class[1] and uprated steam turbines.[2]

She was laid down on 29 November 1962 and launched on 5 October 1963 by Mitsubishi shipyard in Nagasaki. Commissioned on 15 February 1965 and decommissioned in 1995.

Her anchor is on display at JMSDF Naval Base Maizuru while her right propeller is on display in Yokosuka Naval Base.

Amatsukaze was one of the earliest foreign ships equipped with the American Tartar system. (The other is the French Kersaint-class DDG).[3] Because of the financial burden of this expensive weapon system, the other equipment aboard Amatsukaze was almost the same as that of the Ayanami class at first, but the JMSDF applied a spiral model to Amatsukaze, allowing continual updating of her equipment as described in the following table.

The Tartar weapon system made a strong positive impression on the JMSDF, but it was too expensive for the JMSDF to be able to afford another Tartar-equipped DDG at once. As a result, the JMSDF had to wait 10 years to build another DDG, the first Tachikaze-class destroyer.[4]

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  JDS Amatsukaze underway, date unknown.
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  JDS Amatsukaze underway, date unknown.
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  JDS Amatsukaze’s anchor on display at JMSDF Naval Base Maizuru.
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  JDS Amatsukaze’s right propeller on display at Yokosuka Naval Base.