Japanese shipyards have marked a busy close to the fiscal year, with a series of support and combat vessels delivered or launched for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) in the first half of March.
The spike in activity began on 9 March with the commissioning of JS Bingo (pennant number ‘5204’), the fourth Hibiki-class auxiliary ocean surveillance ship. It was inducted into the JMSDF at the Tamano yard of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Maritime Systems.
Featuring a small waterplane area twin hull (SWATH) design, the class is designed to support Japanese efforts to strengthen its national undersea domain awareness.
Like the US Navy’s Victorious class, the Hibiki class is equipped with the Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System (SURTASS), which enables the detection and tracking of submarine acoustic signatures over long distances.
Also on 9 March, MHI’s Shimonoseki Shipyard delivered and commissioned JS Akashi (‘5107’), an oceanographic research vessel. While details about the vessel remain limited, the 3,500-tonne ship is expected to support the collection of seabed and oceanographic data that is critical for naval operations.
Next, on 10 March, the fifth Taigei-class diesel-electric submarine, JS Chogei, entered service and was assigned to the 2nd Submarine Division at Yokosuka Naval Base. The arrival of this conventional submarine further bolsters Japan’s undersea warfare capabilities.
Japan’s growing littoral fleet is also set to expand after the christening of two 95m-long Sakura-class offshore patrol vessels (OPV), Hinoki (‘903’) and Sugi (‘904’), on 13 March. These two OPVs were launched at the Isogo Works shipyard of Japan Marine United Corporation.
Constructed with a budget of JPY8.9 billion (US$56 million), these are the third and fourth vessels of a planned class of twelve OPVs. The first four vessels are supposed to enter JMSDF service by March 2027, joining a new Patrol and Defense Group being established later this month under the navy’s future Fleet Surface Force.
Looking ahead, Tokyo has allocated funding in FY2026 for additional fleet expansion, including one Mogami-class frigate, two Sakura-class OPVs, one Taigei-class submarine and one Awaji-class minesweeper.
The varied selection underscores Tokyo’s continued emphasis on both high-end warfighting and maritime security missions.
by Chen Chuanren
