- Yes
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- I don’t think this ship should be added
Background and History
JDS Amatsukaze was the very first guided missile destroyer ever built and enter service in the JMSDF and in fact was the only ship of her class though she was in fact the planned sub class guided missile destroyer version of the Akizuki class anti-air destroyers with the ships themselves using the Tartar missiles system however due to the fact the system was larger than expected the design itself was heavily reworked with her hull being enlarged and with a shelter-deck design based on that of the Isuzu class, she would end up becoming the only ship of her class due to how expensive the weapon system was and the ships equipment would end up being nearly all the same to that of the Ayanami class destroyers however due to how she was designed she would be upgraded over her years of service, she was armed with 2 twin 3-inch/50 fast firing guns with both located at the front of the ship in super firing positions though this left them more lightly armed than many destroyers in terms of guns, the ship came equipped with 1 Mk-13 missile launcher which used the RIM-24 tartar missile, to top it off the ship was armed with 2 Mk 2 torpedo side launchers were equipped on the ships and the ship included 2 Mk 15 Hedgehog mortars, over time however the ships armament would change as the RIM-24 Tartar’s were replaced by the RIM-66, the ship would have 1 8 cell ASROC launcher amid ship, the side launched torpedoes would be replaced by 2 triple 324mm Mk 32 torpedo tubes, and the ships systems would be improved as well as newer systems improved over time.
With that in mind Amatsukaze was laid down November 29th, 1962 under the building number 2303, launched October 5th, 1963, and commissioned on February 15th, 1965. Due to the cost of the Tartar missile system as mentioned previously she would end up being the only ship of her class and since she was the first guided missile destroyer in the JMSDF she was given the fitting nickname of “Jet coaster”, additionally it would also be century later when Japanese would commission their 1st ship of their second class of guided missile destroyer which would also be the first full class of guided missile destroyer for the JMSDF and even then it would take that class a decade for the last ship to enter service which would be none other than the Tachikaze class.
During most of her service she would for most of her life she would be based out of Yokosuka from 1965 for 21 year until 1986 when she was transferred Maizuru where she would be based when she was decommissioned 33 years since the day she was originally laid down on November 29th, 1995, and was subsequently scrapped with one of her anchors being preserved and displayed at JMSDF Naval Base Maizuru while her right propeller is on display in Yokosuka Naval Base.
Specifications
Note(s): Anything saying as built was their when the ship was commissioned and that they were later replaced or removed
Displacement:
3,050 long tons (3,099 t) standard
4,000 long tons (4,064 t) full load
Length: 131.0 m (429 ft 9 in) overall
Beam: 13.4 m (44 ft 0 in)
Draft: 4.2 m (13 ft 9 in)
Propulsion:
2 × IHI/GE reaction steam turbines
2 × IHI Model FWD2 water tube boilers
60,000 shp (45 MW), 2 shafts
Speed: 33 knots (38 mph; 61 km/h)
Complement: 290
Sensors and processing systems:
- AN/SPS-29 air-search radar
- AN/SPS-39 3D radar (As built)
- AN/SPS-52 3D radar (Later modification)
- AN/SPG-51 fire-control radar
- AN/SQS-4 passive sonar (As built)
- AN/SPS-52 passive sonar (Later modification)
- AN/SQR-8 active sonar (As built)
- AN/SQS-23 active sonar (Later modification)
Electronic warfare & decoys:
- NOLR-1B intercept (As built)
- NOLR-6B intercept (Later modification)
- OLR-9B missile warning (Later modification)
- OLT-3 jammer (Later modification)
Armament:
Primary Armament:
- 4 × 3"/50 (76mm) Mk 22 guns
Missile launchers:
- 1 × Mk 13 missile launcher capable of using either:
RIM-24 Tartar (As built)
or
RIM-66 Standard SM-1MR (Later modification)
(40 Tartar missiles carried total, amount does not vary by the missile)
Anti submarine missile launchers:
- 1 x Mk 16 ASROC 8 cell launcher (Later modification)
Anti submarine mortars:
- 2 × Mk 15 Hedgehog ASW mortar
Torpedo Armament:
- 2 × Mk 2 side launched torpedo tubes (As built)
- 2 x triple Mk 32 torpedo launcher (Later modification)
Sources
Spoiler
DDG 163 JDS Amatsukaze Guided Missile Destroyer Japan Maritime Self Defense Force
naval encyclopedia - warships and naval warfare from antiquity to this day
Image Sources
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