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 

http://news.defence.gov.au/2016/04/15/australia-and-japan-practise-interoperability-off-sydney/

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