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
Built: 2005–Present
In commission: 2009–Present
Building: 3
Planned: 12
Completed: 9
Active: 8 (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 ft crush
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)[1]
Range: AIP endurance (est.): 6100 nautical miles (11297.2 km; 7060.75 miles) at 6.5 knots (12 km/h; 7.48 mp/h)[2]
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.

It is Japan's first air-independent propulsion submarine. The boats in the class are fitted with Kockums Stirling engines license-built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, allowing them to stay submerged for longer periods of time. Some recent information suggests that the last units in the series will have their air independent propulsion systems replaced with banks of Li-Ion batteries.[3]

The cost of the sixth submarine (Kokuryū) was estimated at 540 million USD.[4] The eleventh Soryu-class submarine, 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.[5]

Naming convention

Japanese submarines since World War II were named after ocean currents. The JMSDF changed its naming convention with the Sōryū,[6] 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.[7][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 of Defence Minister Manohar Parikkar to Japan he asked the Japanese government to participate in the multibillion-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/namesake Laid down Launched Commissioned Home port
S131 8116 SS-501 Sōryū (そうりゅう)
Blue Dragon 		31 March 2005 5 December 2007 30 March 2009 Kure
S131[12] 8117 SS-502 Unryū (うんりゅう)
Cloud Dragon 		31 March 2006 15 October 2008 25 March 2010[13] Kure
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, Stegosauria		 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
S131[12][14] 8122 SS-507 Jinryū (じんりゅう)
Benevolent Dragon 		14 February 2012 8 October 2014 7 March 2016 Kure
S131[12][14][15] 8123 SS-508 Sekiryū (せきりゅう)
Red Dragon 		15 March 2013 2 November 2015 (March 2017) ?
S131[16] 8124 SS-509 Seiryū (せいりゅう)
Pure Dragon 		22 October 2013 12 October 2016 (March 2018) ?
S131[17] 8125 SS-510 ?　 ? ? ? ?
S131[18] 8126 SS-511 ?　 ? ? ? ?
S131[19] 8127 SS-512 ?　 ? ? ? ?

References

  1. ↑ SS-501 Soryu Specifications - Globalsecurity.org
  2. ↑ SS-501 Soryu Specifications - Globalsecurity.org
  3. ↑ "First Improved Oyashio-class boat takes to the water". Jane's Information Group. 2007-12-06. Retrieved 2007-12-09.
  4. ↑ "Japan launches newest submarine Kokuryu amid party atmosphere". The Japan Daily Press. 2013-11-04. Retrieved 2013-12-14.
  5. ↑ "Japanese Ministry of Defense website, 2015 Defense Budget." (PDF).
  6. ↑ 海上自衛隊訓令第３０号, Japan Maritime Self Defense Force
  7. ↑ http://www.webcitation.org/6B5F7Dxp6
  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. ↑ http://www.janes.com/article/48448/india-asks-japan-to-offer-soryu-subs-for-project-75i-requirement.
  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. ↑ http://www.mod.go.jp/e/d_budget/pdf/241107.pdf
  17. ↑ http://www.mod.go.jp/e/d_budget/pdf/251009.pdf
  18. ↑ http://www.mod.go.jp/e/d_budget/pdf/270414.pdf
  19. ↑ http://www.mod.go.jp/e/d_budget/pdf/280330.pdf
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