JS Kirishima

For other ships with the same name, see Japanese ship Kirishima.

JS Kirishima underway on 22 February 2008
History
Japan
Name
  • Kirishima
  • (きりしま)
NamesakeMount Kirishima
Ordered1990
BuilderMitsubishi Heavy Industries
Laid down7 April 1992
Launched19 August 1993
Commissioned16 March 1995
HomeportYokosuka
Identification
StatusActive
General characteristics
Class and typeKongō-class destroyer
Displacement
  • 7500 tons standard
  • 9500 tons full load
Length528.2 ft (161.0 m)
Beam68.9 ft (21.0 m)
Draft20.3 ft (6.2 m)
Propulsion
Speed30 knots (56 km/h)
Range
  • 4,500 nautical miles at 20 knots
  • (8,334 km at 37 km/h)
Complement300
Sensors and
processing systems
  • AN/SPY-1D
  • OPS-28 surface search radar
  • OQS-102 bow mounted sonar
Electronic warfare
& decoys		NOLQ-2 intercept / jammer
Armament
Aircraft carried1 × SH-60K helicopter

JS Kirishima (DDG-174) is a Kongō-class guided missile destroyer in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). Kirishima was named for Mount Kirishima. She was laid down by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Nagasaki, Nagasaki on 7 April 1992, and was launched on 19 August 1993.

It was not until 16 March 1995 that she was commissioned. She is based at the JMSDF base in Yokosuka, Kanagawa, and as of 2014, is the flagship of Rear Admiral Hidetoshi Iwasaki.[1]

History

In 2003 the Kirishima was deployed to the Indian Ocean as logistical support for US forces engaged in the War on Terror. This prompted some opposition including protests and boatloads of protesters attempting to block the ship from leaving its harbor at Yokosuka.[2] It was later replaced in the deployment by the destroyer JS Kongō.[3]

Kirishima underwent modification at Nagasaki to add the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMD) capability to its weapons suite.[4]

This ship was one of several in the JMSDF fleet participating in disaster relief after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.[5]

The ship was also deployed in preparation for North Korea's launch of Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 in March 2012.[6]

From 26 June to 1 August 2014, Kirishima participated in RIMPAC alongside JS Ise.[7] In November, it participated in the Keen Sword 15 exercises with the US. The ship was responsible for guarding the USS George Washington, the US aircraft carrier then forward-deployed to Japan.[1]

  • JS Kirishima, date unknown
    JS Kirishima, date unknown
  • JS Kirishima at Yokosuka on 13 July 2009
    JS Kirishima at Yokosuka on 13 July 2009
  • JS Kirishima launching a SM-3 on 29 October 2010
    JS Kirishima launching a SM-3 on 29 October 2010
  • JS Kirishima and JS Sawayuki on 10 June 2012
    JS Kirishima and JS Sawayuki on 10 June 2012
  • JS Kirishima at Pearl Harbor on 7 July 2014
    JS Kirishima at Pearl Harbor on 7 July 2014

References

  1. ^ a b Kelly, Tim Japan raises military profile in maritime war games with U.S. 21 November 2014 Japan Times Retrieved 13 May 2017
  2. ^ McNeill, David Japanese activists rally to antiwar cry 14 January 2003 Japan Times Retrieved 13 May 2017
  3. ^ Defense Agency to rotate Aegis ships 4 April 2003 Japan Times Retrieved 13 May 2017
  4. ^ "Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense to Third Japanese Destroyer : Naval Forces : Defense News Air Force Army Navy News". Archived from the original on 17 January 2008. Retrieved 12 February 2008. "Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense to Third Japanese Destroyer" DefenseTalk. 16 January 2008
  5. ^ Seawaves,"Warships Supporting Earthquake in Japan" Archived 23 March 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ PAC-3 deployment in Okinawa complete 6 April 2012 Archived 10 November 2017 at the Wayback Machine Japan Times Retrieved 13 May 2017
  7. ^ "Participating Force". Retrieved 14 December 2020.

Media related to JS Kirishima (DDG-174) at Wikimedia Commons