Special thanks to our Japanese shipspotter colleague Toma_san for the pictures. You may follow him on Twitter at @toma_san
The 5,100-ton, 151 meters-long vessel’s keel laying took place in May 2016 and its hull was launched in October 2017.
The Asahi-class is based on the preceding Akizuki-class of destroyers (and both share the same hull form) but the Asahi-class focuses on anti-submarine instead of anti-air warfare.
The Asahi-class is fitted with a (still rare among navies) COGLAG (combined gas turbine-electric and gas-turbine) “hybrid” propulsion configuration: Its two General Electric LM2500 gas turbine connected to two 2.5 MW/3,400 hp electric motors, allows it to reach a top speed of 30 knots. More importantly, it provides sufficient power for current and future weapon systems.
As far as weapons systems are concerned, the Asahi-class is fitted with a BAE Systems Mk45 mod 4 main gun (5 inch/127mm), 2x Raytheon Phalanx 20mm close-in weapon systems (CIWS), 32x Mk41 VLS cells for ESSM SAM and Type 07 VL-ASROC, 8x Type 90 anti-ship missile and 2x triple torpedo launchers.
The combat management system is the OYQ-13 ACDS (Advanced Combat Direction System). The sensor suite consists in the FCS-3A AESA radar system (combining C band and X band antennas), the OQQ-24 hull mounted sonar and the OQR-4 tactical towed array system (TACTAS).
Asahi-class destroyers have a crew complement of 230 sailors and can embark one SH-60J/K helicopter for ASW.
Asahi-class Specifications:
Standard displacement: 5,100 tons
Full load displacement: 6,800 tons
Total length: 151 m
Overall width: 18.3 m
Depth: 10.9 m
Draft: 5.4 m
Propulsion system: COGLAG / 2x LM 2500 IEC gas turbine engines / 2x motors (2.5 MW / 3,400 hp) / 2x Shafts
Maximum speed: 30 kt
Accommodation: 230 sailors
