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Uraga-class mine countermeasure vessel

Uraga-class mine countermeasure vessel

JSUraga and JSBungo
Class overview
Name	Uraga class
Builders	Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding, Tamano Hitachi Zosen Corporation, Maizuru
Operators	Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
Preceded by	Hayase class Sōya class
Succeeded by	N/A
Built	1995-1997
In commission	1997 - present
Planned	2
Completed	2
Active	2
General characteristics
Type	Mine countermeasures vessel
Displacement	5,650 t (5,560 long tons) standard 6,850 t (6,740 long tons) full load
Length	141 m (463 ft)
Beam	22 m (72 ft)
Draft	14 m (46 ft)
Depth	5.4 m (17 ft 9 in)
Propulsion	2 × Mitsui 12V42M-A Diesel 2 × axes
Speed	22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph)
Complement	170
Sensors and processing systems	OPS-39C OPS-14C OPS-20 Type 3 minelaying device Mk105 aeromagnetic device Mk104 aeronautical device Type 81 fire control system Sonar
Electronic warfare & decoys	NOLR-8 Mk.137 Decoy launcher
Armament	1 × OTO Melara 76mm naval gun 2 × Oerlikon 20 mm cannon 2 × M2 Browning
Aviation facilities	Hangar and helipad

The Uraga class was a series of 2 mine countermeasure vessels for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. They were both built and commissioned in the 1990s.

It was built as an alternative to JDS Hayase and JDS Sōya, as the class of ships combined the functions of both. Reflecting the experience of Hayase dispatched to the Persian Gulf, the function of the ship was improved, and the newly introduced air minesweeper (Mk.105) was introduced and acquired from the dock. A helicopter support function for performing air minesweeping was also required.^[1] As a result, they became considerably larger, and although they were finally made slightly smaller than originally planned to be 5,600 tons, the amount of wastewater is still doubled compared to 44MST.^[2]

The construction of the name ship was approved for 29.7 billion yen in the 1994 plan, which is the latter half of the 2003 medium-term defense. The construction of the second ship was also approved in the next year's plan.^[1]

In terms of design, there are many elements in common with the 8,900-ton transport ship (05LST) planned in parallel, such as the bulbous bow and the stealth tower mast. A flat deck ship type is adopted, and in the main hull from the center of the hull to the stern, there are well decks in the center and mine storages on both sides, which are equivalent to two layers of the second and third decks, respectively. It is installed at a height and has a gate that opens and closes hydraulically at the stern. Of the gates, the large one in the center is for aviation minesweepers and is said to be a lower hinge type. On the other hand, the small ones on both sides are connected to the mine storage and are of the upper hinge type.^[1][2]

The flight deck has a fairly large area to support the MH-53E helicopter. The rear part of the superstructure located in front of it is used as a maintenance hangar for air minesweepers. The helicopter deck and the well deck are connected by an elevator, and normally, the aviation sweeping equipment maintained in the maintenance hangar on the first deck is returned to the hangar by the elevator and dropped and collected from here, but the first The rear port crane force is said to be 8 tons so that it can be dropped and picked up from the deck.^[1]

Although the stealth ship was designed with consideration for stealth, the main hull was not intentionally tilted in consideration of the case where the minesweeper was replenished sideways. In addition, for horizontal replenishment, a recess is attached to the second deck level, and equipment such as a gate is provided.^[1]

Like the 05LST, the main engine was also equipped with the 12V42M-A (9,900bhp / 600rpm), a 4-cycle V-type 12-cylinder medium-speed diesel engine manufactured by Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding.^[1]

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