Sōryū-class submarine

Hakuryū (SS-503) visits Pearl Harbor, Feb 2013
Class overview
Name: Sōryū
Builders:
Operators:  Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
Preceded by: Oyashio-class submarine
Cost: ¥64.3 billion/US$536.7 million [1]
Built: 2005 – Present
In commission: 2009 – Present
Planned: 14
Building: 3
Completed: 11
Active: 10 (1 launched)
General characteristics
Type: Attack 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)
Depth: 900 m (3,000 ft)[2]
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)[3]
Range: AIP endurance (est.): 6100 nautical miles (11297.2 km; 7060.75 miles) at 6.5 knots (12 km/h; 7.48 mp/h)[3]
Complement: 65 (9 officers, 56 enlisted)
Sensors and
processing systems:
Electronic warfare
& decoys:
Armament:

The Sōryū-class submarines (16SS) are diesel-electric attack submarines. The first boat in the class 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 stern combination diving planes and rudders. The Sōryūs have the largest displacement of any submarine used by post-war Japan.[4]

It is Japan's first air-independent propulsion submarine. The boats in the class are fitted with Kockums Naval Solutions Stirling engines license-built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, allowing them to stay submerged for longer periods of time.

The cost of the sixth submarine (Kokuryū) was estimated at 540 million USD.[5] The eleventh Soryu-class submarine (Ōryū), with improved underwater endurance by mounting lithium-ion batteries, was given a budget of ¥64.3 billion/US$536.7 million under the 2015 Japanese Defense Budget.[6] Lithium-ion batteries have almost double the electric storage capacity of traditional lead-acid batteries, and by replacing them in the existing battery storage areas and also filling the space recovered inside the hull of the Sōryū-class submarine previously used by the AIP engine with these new batteries, the amount of (more powerful) batteries carried overall can be increased significantly.

Naming convention

Japanese submarines since World War II were named after ocean currents. The JMSDF changed its naming convention with the Sōryū,[7] 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 aircraft carrier Sōryū, which was sunk during the Battle of Midway.

Exports

Japan offered Sōryū-class submarines to Australia to replace the Royal Australian Navy's Collins-class submarines as part of the Collins-class submarine replacement project.[8] On 9 April 2014, then-Australian Defence Minister David Johnston, while discussing Australia's future submarine options, described the Sōryū class as "extremely impressive".[9] On April 26, 2016, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced that the Australian contract had been awarded to the French-designed Shortfin Barracuda.[10]

India and Taiwan have also approached Japan and expressed an interest in buying Sōryū-class submarines. During a visit by India's Defence Minister Manohar Parikkar to Japan he asked the Japanese government to participate in the multi-billion-dollar Project 75I-class submarine project.[11]

Hakuryū (SS-503) visiting Guam in 2013
Zuiryū (SS-505) under construction

Boats

Project no.Building no.Pennant no.Name/namesakeLaid downLaunchedCommissionedHome port
S1318116SS-501Sōryū (そうりゅう)
Blue Dragon		31 March 20055 December 200730 March 2009Kure
S131[12]8117SS-502Unryū (うんりゅう)
Cloud Dragon		31 March 200615 October 200825 March 2010[13]Kure
8118SS-503Hakuryū (はくりゅう)
White Dragon		6 February 200716 October 200914 March 2011Kure
8119SS-504Kenryū (けんりゅう)
Sword Dragon, Stegosauria		31 March 200815 November 201016 March 2012Kure
8120SS-505Zuiryū (ずいりゅう)
Auspicious Dragon		16 March 200920 October 20116 March 2013Yokosuka
8121SS-506Kokuryū (こくりゅう)
Black Dragon		21 January 201131 October 20139 March 2015Yokosuka
S131[12][14]8122SS-507Jinryū (じんりゅう)
Benevolent Dragon		14 February 20128 October 20147 March 2016Kure
S131[12][14][15]8123SS-508Sekiryū (せきりゅう)
Red Dragon		15 March 20132 November 201513 March 2017[16]Kure
S131[17]8124SS-509Seiryū (せいりゅう)
Pure Dragon		22 October 201312 October 201612 March 2018Yokosuka
S131[18]8125SS-510Shōryū (しょうりゅう)
Soaring Dragon　		28 January 20156 November 2017(March 2019)?
S131[19][20]8126SS-511Ōryū (おうりゅう)
Phoenix Dragon (凰龍)　		16 November 20154 October 2018(March 2020)?
S131[21]8127SS-512?　27 January 2017(2019)(March 2021)?
S131[22]8128SS-513?　30 December 2017(2020)(March 2022)?
S131[23]8129SS-514?　(2018)(2021)(March 2023)?

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Budget" (PDF). www.mod.go.jp.
  2. ↑ "「中国の恐怖」だ！　中国が恐れる日本の潜水艦、その実力は＝中国報道-サーチナ".
  3. 1 2 Pike, John. "SS-501 Soryu / 16SS / SS 2,900 ton Class". www.globalsecurity.org.
  4. ↑ "SS Soryu Class Submarines". Naval Technology. 2017-09-03. Retrieved 2018-07-19.
  5. ↑ "Japan launches newest submarine Kokuryu amid party atmosphere". The Japan Daily Press. 2013-11-04. Retrieved 2013-12-14.
  6. ↑ "Japanese Ministry of Defense website, 2015 Defense Budget" (PDF).
  7. ↑ 海上自衛隊訓令第３０号, Japan Maritime Self Defense Force
  8. ↑ "Japanese Media Now Openly Talking about Japan-Australia Soryu Deal". Asia Security Watch. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  9. ↑ "Government struggling to find replacement design for Collins Class subs: Defence Minister". ABC News. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  10. ↑ "France wins $50b contract to help build Australia's new submarines". The Age. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  11. ↑ "{title}". Archived from the original on 2015-01-31. Retrieved 2015-04-03.
  12. 1 2 3 They are equipped with a new sonar ZQQ-7B.
  13. ↑ "Submarine Unryu Delivered". Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. 2010-03-25. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
  14. 1 2 They are equipped with a new satellite communication device.
  15. ↑ She is equipped with new torpedo counter measures.
  16. ↑ Japan receives Soryu-class attack submarine, Brahmand.com, 2017-03-16, accessed 2017-04-24
  17. ↑ "Budget" (PDF). www.mod.go.jp.
  18. ↑ "Budget" (PDF). www.mod.go.jp.
  19. ↑ "Budget" (PDF). www.mod.go.jp.
  20. ↑ "MHI Launched the 11th Soryu-class SSK SS-511 Oryu for the JMSDF". www.navyrecognition.com/index.php.
  21. ↑ "Defense program and budget of Japan" (PDF). Retrieved 2018-07-19.
  22. ↑ "Budget" (PDF). www.mod.go.jp.
  23. ↑ "Budget" (PDF). www.mod.go.jp.


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