| Sōryū-class submarine | |
|---|---|
 Hakuryū (SS-503) visits Pearl Harbor, Feb 2013 | |
| Class overview | |
| Name: | Sōryū |
| Builders: |
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Kawasaki Shipbuilding Corporation |
| Operators: |
 Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force |
| Preceded by: | Oyashio class |
| Built: | 2005–2019 |
| In commission: | 2009– |
| Planned: | 12 |
| Completed: | 12 |
| Active: | 12 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Submarine |
| Displacement: |
Surfaced: 2,900 tonnes (2,854 long tons) Submerged: 4,200 t (4,134 long tons) |
| Length: | 84.0 m (275 ft 7 in) |
| Beam: | 9.1 m (29 ft 10 in) |
| Draught: | 8.5 m (27 ft 11 in) |
| Propulsion: |
1-shaft 2× Kawasaki 12Ｖ 25/25 SB-type diesel engines diesel-electric 4× Kawasaki Kockums V4-275R Stirling engines 3,900 hp (2,900 kW) surfaced 8,000 hp (6,000 kW) submerged |
| Speed: |
Surfaced: 13 kn (24 km/h; 15 mph) Submerged: 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph) |
| Range: | AIP endurance (est.): 6100 nautical miles (11297.2 km; 7060.75 miles) at 6.5 knots (12 km/h; 7.48 mp/h)[1] |
| Test depth: | 900’ ft crush |
| Complement: | 65 (9 officers, 56 enlisted) |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
ZPS-6F surface/low-level air search radar Hughes/Oki ZQQ-7 Sonar suite: 1× bow-array, 4× LF flank arrays and 1× Towed array sonar |
| Electronic warfare & decoys: |
ZLR-3-6 ESM equipment 2× 3-inch underwater countermeasure launcher tubes for launching of Acoustic Device Countermeasures (ADCs) |
| Armament: |
6×HU-606 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes with 30 reloads for: 1.) Type 89 torpedoes 2.) UGM-84 Harpoon Mines |
The Sōryū-class submarines (16SS) are diesel-electric submarines that entered service with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force in 2009. The design is an evolution of the Oyashio class submarine, from which it can most easily be distinguished by its X-shaped tail planes. The Sōryūs have the largest displacement of any submarine used by post war Japan.
The class are fitted with air-independent propulsion based on Kockums Stirling engines license-built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, allowing them to stay submerged for longer periods of time.[2]
Naming convention[]
Japanese submarines since World War II were named after ocean currents. The JMSDF changed its naming convention with the Sōryū[3] and submarines will now be named after mythological creatures. Sōryū (そうりゅう) means blue dragon in Japanese and is named after the World War II carrier sunk during the Battle of Midway.
Exports[]
Japan may offer Sōryū-class submarines to Australia to replace the Royal Australian Navy's Collins class submarines.[4][5]
_arrives_at_Joint_Base_Pearl_Harbor-Hickam_for_a_scheduled_port_visit,_-6_Feb._2013_(YP255-023).jpg){kind=link}
Hakuryu (SS-503) visits Pearl Harbor, Feb 2013
JS Zuiryu （SS-505） under construction
Boats[]
| Project no. | Building no. | Pennant no. | Name | Japanese | Namesake | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Home port | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S131 | 8116 | SS-501 | Sōryū | そうりゅう | Blue Dragon | 31 March 2005 | 5 December 2007 | 30 March 2009 | Kure | |
| 8117 | SS-502 | Unryū | うんりゅう | Cloud Dragon | 31 March 2006 | 15 October 2008 | 25 March 2010 | Kure | These five submarines are equipped with a new sonar ZQQ-7B. | |
| 8118 | SS-503 | Hakuryū | はくりゅう | White Dragon | 6 February 2007 | 16 October 2009 | 14 March 2011 | Kure | ||
| 8119 | SS-504 | Kenryū | けんりゅう | Sword Dragon | 31 March 2008 | 15 November 2010 | 16 March 2012 | Kure | ||
| 8120 | SS-505 | Zuiryū | ずいりゅう | Auspicious Dragon | 16 March 2009 | 20 October 2011 | 6 March 2013 | Yokosuka | ||
| 8121 | SS-506 | Kokuryū | こくりゅう | Black Dragon | 21 January 2011 | 31 October 2013 | 9 March 2015 | Yokosuka | ||
| 8122 | SS-507 | Jinryū | じんりゅう | Benevolent Dragon | 14 February 2012 | 8 October 2014 | 7 March 2016 | Kure | This submarine is equipped with a new sonar ZQQ-7B and a new satellite communication device. | |
| 8123 | SS-508 | Sekiryū | せきりゅう | Red Dragon | 15 March 2013 | 2 November 2015 | 13 March 2017 | Kure | This submarine is equipped with a new sonar ZQQ-7B, a new satellite communication device and new torpedo counter measures. | |
| 8124 | SS-509 | Seiryū | せいりゅう | Pure Dragon | 22 October 2013 | 12 October 2016 | 12 March 2018 | Yokosuka | ||
| 8125 | SS-510 | Shōryū | しょうりゅう | Soaring Dragon | 28 January 2015 | 6 November 2017 | 18 March 2019 | Kure | ||
| 8126 | SS-511 | Ōryū | おうりゅう | Phoenix Dragon | 16 November 2015 | 4 October 2018 | 5 March 2020 | Kure | These two submarines utilize Li-ion battery propulsion technology | |
| 8127 | SS-512 | Tōryū | とうりゅう | Fighting Dragon | 27 January 2017 | 6 November 2019 | 24 March 2021 | Yokosuka |
References[]
- ↑ SS-501 Soryu Specifications - Globalsecurity.org
- ↑ "First Improved Oyashio-class boat takes to the water". Jane's Information Group. 2007-12-06. http://www.janes.com/news/defence/naval/jni/jni071206_1_n.shtml. Retrieved 2007-12-09.
- ↑ 海上自衛隊訓令第３０号, Japan Maritime Self Defense Force
- ↑ http://www.webcitation.org/6B5F7Dxp6
- ↑ "Japanese Media Now Openly Talking about Japan-Australia Soryu Deal."
External links[]
- Japanese website with Diagram
- Globalsecurity.org
- Military-today.com
- Website on the Imperial Japanese Navy: JMSDF vessels
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