Kaibōkan

The Japanese Etorofu in May 1943.

Kaibōkan (海防艦, "sea defence ship") or coastal defense ship is a type of naval ship used by the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II for escort duty and coastal defense. The term escort ship is used by the United States Navy to describe this category of Japanese ships.[1]

Description

These ships were the Japanese equivalent to Allied destroyer escorts and frigates, all three types of warships being built as a less expensive anti-submarine warfare alternative to fleet destroyers.[2] Kaibōkan had few counterparts among Japan's Axis allies: the 10 Kriegsmarine escort ships of the F-class, and Amiral Murgescu of the Romanian Navy.

In the course of the war, the design was simplified and scaled down to permit larger numbers of vessels to be built more quickly.

Classes

Shimushu class (Ishigaki)

  • Also known as Type A - multi purpose patrol, escorts or minesweeper.
  • Main Engine: Diesel X 2, double shaft (4,200shp)
  • Max Speed: 19.7kn
  • Range: 8,000 mile (16kn)
  • Fuel: Oil X 120t

Etorofu class (Matsuwa)

  • Modified Type A
  • Main Engine: Diesel X 2, double shaft (4,200shp)
  • Max Speed: 19.7kn
  • Range: 8,000 mile (16kn)
  • Fuel: Oil X 120t

Mikura class (Chiburi)

  • Also known as Type B
  • Main Engine: Diesel X 2, double shaft (4,200shp)
  • Max Speed: 19.5kn
  • Range: 6,000 mile (16kn)
  • Fuel: Oil X 120t

Ukuru class (Okinawa)

  • Modified Type B
  • Main Engine: Diesel X 2, double shaft (4,200shp)
  • Max Speed: 19.5kn
  • Range: 5,754 mile (16kn)
  • Fuel: Oil X 120t

Others

In addition two former Chinese light cruisers were used, renamed Ioshima and Yasoshima.

See also

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall (15 September 2013). "Stories and Battle Histories of the IJN's Escorts". Combinedfleet.com. Retrieved 2013-10-19.
  2. ↑ Potter, E.B.; Nimitz, Chester W. (1960). Sea Power. Prentice-Hall, p. 550

Sources

  • Stories and Battle Histories of the IJN's Escorts 9 July 2011 By Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
  • Kimata Jirō (木俣 滋郎). Military history of Japan's coastal defense ships (『日本海防艦戦史』). Toshu Publishing (図書出版社), 1994. p. 299

Further reading

  • Stille, Mark (2017). Imperial Japanese Navy Antisubmarine Escorts 1941–45. Oxford: Osprey. ISBN 9781472818164.
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