April 15, 2016

Japanese Soryu Submarine Visit to Sydney from April 15, 2016


Japanese Soryu submarine JS Hakuryu in Sydney Harbour, April 15, 2016 (Photo above and below courtesy of Australia's ABC



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 The RAN's Fleet Base East, Sydney Harbour, is where the visiting Japanese flotilla (small fleet) is staying (flotilla being submarine JS Hakuryu and destroyers JS Umigiri and JS Asayuki),
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AUSTRALIAN DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE, MEDIA RELEASE - 15 April 2016 


Australia and Japan practise interoperability off Sydney, 

"Royal Australian Navy and Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force counterparts have gathered in Sydney to conduct the bilateral Exercise NICHI GOU TRIDENT [loosely translated from Japanese as  "Australian Sun"] from 15-26 April 2016.

This exercise, which has been conducted between Australia and Japan since 2009, is an opportunity to develop and enhance the bilateral naval relationship by practising maritime skills and improving levels of interoperability between our two navies. This is the first opportunity to conduct the exercise off Sydney.

HMA Ships Ballarat, Adelaide and Success will take part in the exercise along with aviation elements including Navy’s 816 Squadron’s S-70B Seahawks and the Air Force’s AP-3C Orion and Hawk 127 aircraft.

Two Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force destroyers JS Umigiri (DD158), JS Asayuki (DD132) and one submarine, JS Hakuryu (SS 503) will also take part.

The exercise aims to improve interoperability and mutual understanding between the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force and Australian Defence Force in selected facets of maritime operations.

The previous NICHI GOU TRIDENT was last held in Japan in October 2015."

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The Soryu submarine JS Hakuryu (SS-503) is in waters in and around Sydney from Friday, April 15 to Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Only observable inside JS Hakuryu is its standard lead-acid batteries and Stirling engine air independent propulsion (AIP)If Australia buys Japanese submarines they are very likely not to have AIP but instead will have new, high capacity, lithium-ion batteries.

Accompanying that submarine (in what is a small fleet (flotilla)) are destroyers:


-  JS Asayuki (DD132) of the Hatsuyuki-class, and


 JS Umigiri (DD158) of the Asagiri-class


Each of these destroyers has a SH-60J(K) helicopter for mainly anti-submarine uses. 


Visiting Sydney, Australia, April 2016, is JS Asayuki (DD132) above of the Hatsuyuki-class. 4,000 tons full load. Range/speed is 13,000 km at 20 knots. Commissioned 1987. Upfront behind the gun is a Mk.16 (Type 74) ASROC anti-submarine rocket octuple launcher (this carries 8 rockets, each with a lightweight torpedo). Amidships are 2 x quadruple Harpoon launchers. This ship also has other guns, torpedoes and missiles (see right side-bar). One MHI built SH-60J(K) anti-submarine helicopter. (Photo courtesy j-navy.sakura.ne.jp)
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Visiting Sydney, Australia, April 2016, is JS Umigiri (DD158) Commissioned 1991. At 5,000 tons full load this Asagiri class  destroyer weighs 1,000 tons more than JS Asayuki's/Hatsuyuki class. Asagiri class range/speed is 14,870 km at 14 knots. Same armament and helicopter type as JS Asayuki (DD-132). (Photo courtesy qianzhan.com)
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Before reaching Sydney, which is Australia's major Fleet Base East, these three vessels stopped to visit/refuel at US Guam Naval Base.

These Japanese vessels should not be confused with a separate Japanese submarine, 2 destroyer, flotilla (submarine JS Oyashio, destroyers JS Setogiri and JS Ariake) that visited Subic Bay, Phillippines and then destroyers JS Setogiri and JS Ariake visited Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam, in early April. That separate flotilla has probably returned to Japan.

S in Comments provided information from Japanese Ministry of Defence document http://www.mod.go.jp/msdf/formal/info/news/201603/20160309-01.pdf [right click mouse to Translate to English].

Pete

15 comments:

Ben said...

Not sure that the background noise is actually the submarine, there was at least on small engine (sounded like the outboard motor of a boat, possibly the one the cameraman was on) there were a couple of tugboat engines and the background noise of a working harbour...

Pete said...

Thanks Ben

I'll change the text accordingly.

Pete

Anonymous said...

Hi Pete

Umigiri has higher anti-submarine warfare capability than precedent-class Asayuki according to Japanese Wikipedia.

JMSDF adopts OYQ series as tactical data system. Asayuki equips OYQ-5 TDS (Target Designation System) with Link14 [1]. Umigiri [2] equips OYQ-7 CDS(Combat Designation System)/with Link11/OYQ-101 ASWDS (Anti-Submarine Warfare Direction System), respectively. OYQ-7 CDS and Link11 are superior to OYQ-5 TDS and Link14, respectively.

[1]https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%AF%E3%81%A4%E3%82%86%E3%81%8D%E5%9E%8B%E8%AD%B7%E8%A1%9B%E8%89%A6 (Hatsuyuki-class, Japanese-wiki) you can find schematic combat system.
[2]https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%82%E3%81%95%E3%81%8E%E3%82%8A%E5%9E%8B%E8%AD%B7%E8%A1%9B%E8%89%A6 (Asagiri-class destroyer, Japanese-wiki) you can find 4 pictures

Regards
S

Pete said...

Hi S

Thanks for the Combat Designation System and other details.

I've noticed that many Japanese companies make Destroyers (unlike MHI and KHI for submarines) see https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%82%E3%81%95%E3%81%8E%E3%82%8A%E5%9E%8B%E8%AD%B7%E8%A1%9B%E8%89%A6

Are any Japanese Detroyer designs (or component systems) in Australia's Future Frigate competition? See http://www.navy.gov.au/media-room/publications/chief-navy-speeches-naval-warfare-officers-association :

"SEA 5000 Future Frigate. On 4 August the Government announced:

the Future Frigate programme will be brought forward.
a continuous onshore build programme will commence in 2020 – three years earlier than scheduled.
The Future Frigates will be built in South Australia based on a Competitive Evaluation Process, which will begin in October 2015.
The terms of reference and scope of work are being prepared by Defence for this CEP. An Analysis of Alternatives is currently being executed by the RAND Corporation to identify potential designs for the Future Frigate."

Regards

Pete

Unknown said...

DCNS might also be in the competition for the fregates so if the fregates that they build are good maybe that Australia could do like a giant order. But i don't know if it is even possible to do so.

Regards
HT

Anonymous said...

Hi Pete

I could not find information on Japanese Destroyer designs in Australia's Future Frigate competition. MHI took big losses (nearly 190 billion yen) in two cruise ships building (contract price 100 billion yen) for AIDA Cruises, and is going to review business of cruise ships building in this spring. This failure affected very positive stance in Oz submarine building by President Miyanaga, of MHI, I think. MHI may be interested the said Frigate competition.

By the way, I introduce status of development of destroyers as reference.

8200ton-class Guided missile Destroyer (27DDG, 28DDG) [1]
This DDG whose design concept is reduction in building cost aims at drastic improvement of equipment and armament based on Atago-class destroyer. This DDGT equips Aegis System correspond to that of Arleigh Burke-class destroyer Flight IIA rebuilt model (Base line 9, Aegis BMD5.1).
FY2015 plan destroyer (27DDG) [Builder unknown; Budget 1,680 billion yen ; Laid dawn 2017, Launched 2018, Commissioned 2020]
FY2016 plan destroyer (28 DDG) [Builder unknown; Budget 1,675 billion yen ; Laid dawn 2018, Launched 2019; Commissioned 2021(plan)]

5000ton-class destroyer (25DD, 26DD)[2]
This DD whose design concept is reduction in building cost places more weight on anti-submarine warfare than succeeding 19DD (Akizuki) which put weight on air-defense. This DD equips OQQ-24 which is the fourth generation of bow sonar and OQR-4 which corresponds to US TACTASS.
FY2013 plan destroyer (25 DD) [Builder MHI Nagasaki Shipyard ; Budget 701 billion yen ; Laid dawn Aug/04/2015, Launched Oct/2016 (plan); Commissioned May/2018(pla)]
FY2016 plan destroyer (26 DD) [Builder unknown; Budget 729 billion yen ; Laid dawn 2016(plan), Launched Oct/2017 (plan); Commissioned May/2019(plan)]

Compact destroyer (3000ton-class), which is multirole destroyer with improved ability to respond various operations including mine and small scale warfare. To be commissioned in 2021.
[1]https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/8200%E3%83%88%E3%83%B3%E5%9E%8B%E8%AD%B7%E8%A1%9B%E8%89%A6
[2] https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/25DD

Regards
S

Pete said...

Hi S [at 24/3/16 12:37 PM]

Thanks for all that research on Japanese Destroyers.

I aim to do post on Japanese Destroyers (including helicopter carriers) in the next two weeks.

Regards

Pete

BK said...

Pete,

be advised that the visit of the Japanes submarine did not jump out of the box. These kind of ship visits and exercise participations are usually planned well ahead of time, at least 1 1/2 to 2 years in advance. And why do you think that France or Germany should showcase their submarines? If they did so, everybody would argue that these are not the boats Australia wants, therefore why bother in the first place?
Be assured that all the necessary people writing the recommendations and the decision makes have seen, smelled and touched French and German submarines.
The French and the German offers do indeed get a lot of support from their Navies. You should be aware that DCNS is owned by the French Government, therefore a French Navy support is given, and the support of the German Navy has always been there, as you might have seen last year in October in Sydney and in the vast number of press articles and statement which are out there. Again, why bother bringing one of their boats to Down Under to showcase something that the RAN is not interested in?
The really interesting questions is rather what the customers of French, German and Japanese submarines think about the support ehy have been given by each contender in the past - although it is probably very hard to find a customer for Japanes subs outside Japan...
Cheers,
BK

Pete said...

Hi BK

Yes, very true "why bother bringing one of their [German and French] boats to Down Under to showcase something that the RAN is not interested in?"

If we wanted to see Scorpenes we'd invite Malaysia to bring one of its PM's Scorpenes to Sydney or South Korea to bring one of its SK built 214s to Sydney.

But yes it would be unconvincing to the Australian public and military because Germany and France's last built SSKs are much further from what Australia wants than Soryus.

If we wait until 2020 we might see a "Shortfin" hull but, unhelpfully, with nuclear Barracuda insides.

Anything less than enlarged Soryus 2031- then from the late 2040s late model Virginias may be chancy steps for Australia.

Cheers

Pete

Pete said...

Hi Wispywood2344

I'll publish your http://blog.livedoor.jp/wispywood2344/others/Soryu_Cutaway_Variants.svg diagrams and text on Tuesday 19 April as interesting in the Soryu in Sydney grows.

Regards

Pete

Anonymous said...

Hi Pete

HMAS RANKIN SSG78 is visiting Japan for implementation of joint training with JMSDF.

May/06-May/10 call at Hanshin Base (host ship Unryu)
May/10-May/15 Joint Training (anti-submarine)
May/15-May/20 call at Kure Base (host ship Oyashio)

Hanshin Base is very near Kobe CBD which is very famous sightseeing area. But, we should not forget Motoyama or Okamoto areas which are 2km away from Hashin Base. These are very popular for young people and famous for bread. “Backer Brusch” in front of Motoyama station is one of the most popular bread & pastry shops in Hanshin area. All the pastries of this shop are quite tasty and if we try to get these types of pastries in Tokyo, we must pay at least twice.

Regards

Pete said...

Hi Anonymous [7/5/16 10:55 AM]

Thanks for the Kobe tourism details - sounds peachy. Here's some photos https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attractions-g298562-Activities-Kobe_Hyogo_Prefecture_Kinki.html

I'm hoping that (after Australia chose France) the JMSDF doesn't give Rankin a difficult time during the Exercise. For example no use of "signalling depth charges" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depth_charge#Signaling .

Regards

Pete

Anonymous said...

Hi Pete

Sometimes, small talk is important.

We do not have any bad feeling against brave Aussie submariners. In a sense, they are victims of bad politics and building works.

Regards
Anonymous [7/5/16 10:55 AM]

Anonymous said...

Wet have no bad feeling against brave Aussie submariners, --->
We have no bad feeling against brave Aussie submariners,

Pete said...

Hi Anonymous [7/5/16 6:17 PM and 7/5/16 6:18 PM]

Thanks. I was just joking about the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depth_charge#Signaling .

Regards

Pete