Japan commissions second Maya-class AEGIS guided missile destroyer

 

The Maya-class AEGIS destroyer JS Haguro (DDG-180). Photo c/o JMSDF.

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) has commissioned its second and final Maya-class AEGIS guided missile destroyer, during ceremonies held at Japan Marine United’s Isogo shipyard in Yokohama on 19 March 2021.

Japanese Defense Minister Kishi Nobuo was present and led the ceremonies.

The ship, named the JS Haguro (DDG-180) and built by Japan Marine United (JMU), joined the JMSDF’s Escort Flotilla 4 based in Sasebo. It was named after Mt. Haguro in the Yamagata Prefecture in Japan.

The Maya-class is an improvement of the JMSDF’s Atago-class guided missile destroyers, featuring the latest Aegis Baseline 9 system, compared to the Atago-class’ Aegis Baseline 7. 

It was also built to include Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) capability from the start, unlike other Aegis-equipped ships in the JMSDF that underwent modifications to gain such capability.

The Maya-class is also around 5 meters longer than the Atago-class at 170 meters, and has a width of 21 meters, a standard displacement of 8,200 tons, and a full-load displacement of around 10,250 tons. 

As part of the Aegis combat system, the ship is equipped with a Lockheed Martin/Raytheon AN/SPY-1D(V) phased array radar and the Northrop Grumman AN/SPQ-9B X-band high resolution fire control radar. 

It also has the American-developed Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) system that allows the ship to be part of a larger system of sensors and weapons platforms to share surveillance and targeting data.

Weapons include a BAE Systems Mk.45 Mod.4 127mm naval gun, two Phalanx 20mm close-in weapon systems (CIWS), Type 17 anti-ship cruise missiles, 96 cells of Mk.41 vertical launching systems (VLS) for SM-2ER Block IIIB, SM-3 Block IIA and SM-6 air defense missiles, and Type 07 anti-submarine rockets. 

It will also be equipped with two Type 68 triple torpedo tubes capable of lauching the US Mk.46 and Japanese Type 73 anti-submarine torpedoes.




[1] Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
[2] Naval News
[3] Navy Recognition