Page 65 - NAVAL FORCES 03/2017

Regional Focus Asia Pacific

From self-defence SQS-53C sonar to NEC Corp., and Partial four “Kongo” class predecessors, all made by
to defence markets “Aegis” Display System application software Mitsubishi, have been fitted with Lockheed
and hardware to MHI and Fujitsu respectively. Martin’s “Aegis” combat and underwater war-
This possibility is proscribed by the coun- fare system, making them powerful ballistic
try’s 1947 pacifist Constitution, Article 9 of Zaibatsu missile defence (BMD) platforms with ad-
which proclaims that “land, sea and air forc- vanced sea, air and undersea threat detection
es, as well as other war potential, will never ’Zaibatsu’ was the word used to refer to in- capabilities. The “Atago” DDGs are among
be maintained.” Indeed, Japan’s MoD was dustrial and financial business conglomerates the most powerful surface warfare platforms
not born until January 2007, 53 years after in the Empire of Japan from the 1860s to the in the world and there are options to make two
the establishment of the Defence Agency in 1950s. Indeed, a powerful seafaring economy more as funds permit. Just two of them are
1954. Its Constitution was imposed by the US, with a tradition in shipbuilding and a strong reckoned to fully cover Japan from ballistic
which, as part of the Allied occupation forces orientation towards technology, Japan has missile threats.
from the end of the war until 1952, also dis- one of the most powerful and flexible navies, On 15 March, Kawasaki delivered the 8th
mantled the mighty military-industrial com- its naval industry having produced versatile “Soryu” class submarine, two more of which
plex of Japan, then a militarist state. hull designs for the most advanced vessels, are under construction. With a displacement of
Limited to engaging in weapons research enhanced with high-tech battle management 2,950t, this class is the world’s largest conven-
and development, Japan started reviving its and navigation systems, sensors and potent tionally-powered submarine and will be the
armament industry from the 1990s to lessen armaments. Japan’s giant naval and civilian first submarine of the MSDF to be equipped
its dependence on US weapons imports. It had shipyards have emerged as affiliates of large with Saab Kockums Stirling air independent
moved in this direction even earlier, compelled maritime entities or of the zaibatsu, the coun- propulsion (AIP) system. Work on their con-
as it had been by the Cold and Korean Wars to try’s age-old conglomerates such as Mitsubi- struction is split between Kawasaki and Mit-
rebuild its defences. shi, Mitsui, and Sumitomo. subishi, both based in the port city of Kobe.
In 2014 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Japan’s naval and overall military industry They also constructed the 11 “Oyashio” class
Abe, who is keen on amending the constitu- is a pyramid system of big corporations that submarines between 1994 and 2006. While
tion, revoked a decades-old ban on arms ex- secure contracts directly from the MoD and the first “Soryu” joined the service in 2009,
ports and last December raised defence spend- delegate much of the work to smaller firms, the “Oyashios” were commissioned between
ing for the fifth straight year to a record $43.6 which often subcontract to more specialised 1998 and 2008. Japan’s approach to submarine
billion. Last June, Washington lifted restric- players. Japanese civilian and naval shipmak- construction has been to introduce a new sub-
tions on imports of Japanese components for ers take pride in manufacturing indigenously, marine class roughly every two decades that
military use, facilitating their supply to Amer- relying also on locally-produced sonar and builds upon previous ones. While the “Soryu”
ican defence projects and allowing US arms radar equipment as well as electronic com- builds upon the “Oyashio” class, the latter is
vendors to access Japanese military technol- ponents for submarines. They acquire engine an advancement on the “Harushio” class of the
ogies. technology and vertical launching systems for mid-1990s.
The US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) pro- ships and submarines under licence from US With its wealth of experience and maritime
gramme allows Japanese firms involved in and European suppliers, as well as Close-In culture, the Japanese naval industry performs
naval systems to participate with US indus- Weapons Systems (CIWS) and hull-mounted to the very high standards it has set for itself,
try as sub-contractors. Components and soft- anti-ship missile systems. making effective use of research and tech-
ware supplied has included TR-343 Equiva- For instance, the two new “Atago” class nology to meet the exacting requirements of a
lent Replacement Sonar Transducers for the guided missile destroyers (DDGs) and their discerning client. NAFO

The “Soryu” class submarines (16SS) are diesel-electric attack submarines,
of which the first boat entered service with the JMSDF 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.

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