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Home» News»Japan commissions its 2nd Li-Ion Battery Submarine JS Tōryū「とうりゅう」
Japan commissions its 2nd Li-Ion Battery Submarine SS-512 JS Tōryū とうりゅう
24 MAR, the JMSDF held the Ship Commissioning ceremony of the submarine TORYU at Kobe Works, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. JMSDF picture.

Japan commissions its 2nd Li-Ion Battery Submarine JS Tōryū「とうりゅう」

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) today commissioned its 12th and final Soryu-class diesel-electric attack submarine (SSK) in Kobe in Hyogo Prefecture.

Xavier Vavasseur 24 Mar 2021

JS Tōryū (とうりゅう) SS-512 joins the JMSDF’s 6th Submarine Division of the 2nd submarine flotilla based in Yokosuka. It is the second boat of the class to feature lithium-ion batteries.

JS Tōryū is the 12th and final Soryu-class submarine produced for the JMSDF (the 6th built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, the other 6 having been built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries). Tōryū (とうりゅう) means Fighting Dragon. The name of Toryu is derived from the famous scenic dragon fighting in Kato City, Hyogo Prefecture, where the torrent of the Kako River flows between strangely shaped rocks.

SS-512’s keel was laid in January 2017 and the submarine was launched by KHI in November 2019.

About Japan’s Sōryū-class

Soryu-class SSK off Yokosuka naval base in June 2019. Naval News picture
Soryu-class SSK off Yokosuka naval base in June 2019. Naval News picture

The keel for the first submarine in the class, Soryu (SS-501), was laid down in March 2005. It was launched in December 2007 and commissioned in March 2009. The latest Soryu class SSK to joint the fleet is SS-510 JS Shōryū which was commissioned on March 18, 2019.

Twelve Soryu-class submarines are currently planned for the JMSDF. The design features improved underwater endurance thanks to lithium-ion batteries from the eleventh submarine in the class. Previous submarines use Lead-acid batteries. Designed by GS Yuasa, the high-performance Li-Ion batteries are said to store about double the power. The last two submarines of the class, fitted with the new battery technology, will probably serve as test-bed for the next generation of Japanese SSK.

The Soyu-class is an improved version of the Oyashio-class submarine. Soryu-class submarines are the world’s largest conventionally powered submarines. All submarines of the class are named after dragons: Soryū means Blue Dragon, Hakuryū (2nd in the class) White Dragon, Sekiryū (8th in the class) Red Dragon, Shoryu (10th in the class) means Soaring Dragon…

Main characteristics (as provided by Kawasaki Heavy Industries):

Length 84.0m
Width 9.1m
Depth 10.3m
Draft 8.4m
Displacement 2,950 Tons
Engine:
– Kawasaki 12V 25 / 25SB type diesel engine 2 groups
– Kawasaki Kokkamusu V4-275R Stirling engine four
Propulsion motor: 1
Number of propellers: 1
Speed 20 knots

Japan JMSDF Kawasaki Heavy Industries Li-ion battery Soryu-class Submarine 2021-03-24
Tags Japan JMSDF Kawasaki Heavy Industries Li-ion battery Soryu-class Submarine
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Authors

Posted by : Xavier Vavasseur
Xavier is based in Paris, France. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems and a Master of Business Administration from Florida Institute of Technology (FIT). Xavier has been covering naval defense topics for nearly a decade.

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