Chikugo-class Destroyer Escort

The Chikugo-class destroyer escort (or frigate) of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force is the successor of Isuzu-class, with the same ASW mission. This class was followed by JDS Ishikari. This is the first post World War II Japanese destroyer escort to carry ASROC Anti-submarine missiles.
This class was designed as the modified variant of the Isuzu-class, the preceding destroyer escort class. The main anti-submarine weapon was changed from the M/50 375mm (14.8 in) ASW rocket launcher to the ASROC Anti-submarine missile. The octuple launcher for ASROC was stationed at the mid-deck, and the entire ship design was prescribed by this stationing. To exploit the range of ASROC, this class was equipped with the long-range low-frequency (5 kHz) bow sonar, OQS-3A (Japanese version of the AN/SQS-23), and in addition, the latter batch had SQS-35(J) Variable Depth Sonar system. These anti-submarine sensors and weapons could be compare with those of destroyers in the main fleet of this age, such as Minegumo-class and Yamagumo-class.
In contrast to their anti-submarine capability, the anti-aircraft fire power was weakened compared to the preceding class. The foredeck gun was a Type 68 3"/50 caliber twin cannon controlled by a FCS-1B Gun Fire Control System, which was standard anti-air weapon system in the JMSDF of this age. But the afterdeck gun was the old-fashioned Bofors 40 mm L/60 twin cannon, lacking the anti-ship missile defense (ASMD) capability. The final batch of this class was planned to equipped with the new Oerlikon 35 mm twin cannon, but this plan was frustrated because of the budgetary consideration.
==Specifications==
*Type: Destroyer Escort (Hull designation symbol DE)
*Service Period: 1971-2003
*Characteristics:
**Length: 305 feet 1.2 inches (93 meters)
**Beam: 35 feet (10.67 meters)
**Draught: 11 feet (3.35 meters)
**Displacement: 2,016 tons (Full Load)
*Crew: 165
*Propulsion: CODAD propulsion system, 2 x shafts,, 4 x diesel engines (16,000 hp)
*Range: 5,500 nautical miles (10,186 kilometers) at 20 knots (37.04 km/h)
*Speed: 25 knots (46.3 km/h)
*Sensor Suite:
**TDS-1 Target Designation System
**OPS-14 2D air search radar
**OPS-17 surface search radar
**FCS-1B gun FCS
**OQS-3A bow sonar
**SQS-35(J) VDS
**SFCS-4 Underwater Battery FCS 
*Countermeasures:
**NOLR-1 ESM (Earlier batch)
**NOLR-5 ESM (Latter batch)
*Armament:
**2 x 3"/50 caliber guns
**2 x 40 mm AA guns
**1 x ASROC ASW missile launcher
**2 x Triple 324 mm ASW torpedo tubes
==Unit Run==
Hull no.	Name 	Laid down 	Launched 	Commissioned 	Decommissioned
DE-215 	JDS Chikugo	December 9, 1968 	January 13, 1970 	July 31, 1971 	April 15, 1996
DE-216 	JDS Ayase 	December 5, 1969 	September 16, 1970	May 20, 1971 	August 1, 1996
DE-217 	JDS Mikuma 	March 17, 1970 	February 16, 1971 	August 26, 1971 	July 8, 1997
DE-218 	JDS Tokachi	December 11, 1970 	November 25, 1971 	May 17, 1972 	April 15, 1998
DE-219 	JDS Iwase 	August 6, 1971 	June 29, 1972 	December 12, 1972	October 16, 1998
DE-220 	JDS Chitose	October 7, 1971 	January 25, 1973 	August 31, 1973 	April 13, 1999
DE-221 	JDS Niyodo 	September 20, 1972	August 28, 1973 	February 28, 1974	June 24, 1999
DE-222 	JDS Teshio 	July 11, 1973 	May 29, 1974 	January 10, 1975 	June 27, 2000
DE-223 	JDS Yoshino	September 28, 1973	August 22, 1974 	February 6, 1975 	May 15, 2001
DE-224 	JDS Kumano 	May 29, 1974 	February 24, 1975 	November 19, 1975	May 18, 2001
DE-225 	JDS Noshiro	January 27, 1976 	December 23, 1976 	June 30, 1977 	March 13, 2003
Category:Frigates
Category:Japan
Category:JMSDF
Category:Ship Classes
Category:Ships