Heavily Equipped? Abukuma-Class Destroyer Escorts

For Coastal Defense

Despite the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) operating a variety of surface vessels, all combat ships are officially categorized as “escort vessels” due to postwar Japan’s aversion of using military terms.

This strange practice is valid only domestically, but it has led to escort vessels encompassing large helicopter carriers – something that obviously does not correspond with the original meaning.

What makes matters more complicated are the hull number codes which are used to classify the types of ship, such as DD for normal destroyers and DDG for Aegis destroyers.

So, the Japanese Navy regards every combat surface ship as an “escort vessel” while simultaneously sorting them out based on hull number codes.

Among the large fleet of escort vessels, there is one type of ship that actually seems to fit the original description.

That is the Abukuma-class destroyer, designated as an “DE (Destroyer Escort).”

• General Overview 

The Abukuma-class was built for coastal defense rather than serving the main fleet, and has lower capabilities compared to formal destroyers like the Murasame-class (DD).

But, they are surprisingly heavily armed for vessels tasked with coastal security.

Entering service in the 1990s, the Abukuma-class was equipped with standard air and surface radars, but was also the first DE vessel to possess electronic warfare capabilities.

However, unlike the larger Asagiri-class destroyers built around the same period, the Abukuma-class lacked information processing systems, putting it at an disadvantage during actual combat. There were plans to later install simplified versions of such systems, but this remains yet to be seen.

Since the Abukuma-class is intended to operate in coastal waters, it does not carry any anti-air missiles and sole relies on the 76mm naval gun or the 20mm CIWS for air defense. Initially, there were ideas to equip air-defense missiles, with later decisions opting for SeaRAM missiles, but this have also made zero progress.

Main Armaments of the Abukuma-class (photo: JMSDF)

In terms of anti-submarine capability, the Abukuma-class is equipped with the standard ASROC missiles and short-range torpedoes, though the absence of spare ammunition means the eight rounds stored in the launcher are all they have.

Plans to add a towed sonar system has similarly failed, and the ship lacks the capability to operate patrol helicopters. Nevertheless, the rear-deck is spacious enough to allow helicopters to transfer personnel or small equipment while hovering above.

Compared to normal JMSDF destroyers, the Abukuma-class falls short regarding information processing and anti-air/submarine capabilities, but this is somewhat obvious given their role as “DE” vessels.

When considered solely as an “DE” or compared with counterparts of similar size,  the ships actually stand out in their heavy armament.

For example, compared to the previous Yubari-class, the Abukuma-class shows significant improvements in air defense and anti-submarine capacity, as well as electronic warfare capabilities. Not to mention the eight anti-ship missiles that can deliver quite a punch, equivalent to that of a normal destroyer.

To Retire In 2027

With a total of six vessels, the Abukuma-class became the last “DE” vessels for JMSDF and served alongside old destroyers handed down from the main fleet.

This arrangement later became a problem when modernizing the coastal defense fleet became imperative in the wake of a growing Chinese Navy.

As a result, the JMSDF embarked on the mass production of Mogami-class frigates in an attempt to replace both the Abukuma-class and the second-hand destroyers.

This practically makes the Mogami-class frigates the successor to the Abukuma-class DE ships, with full decommission expected by 2027.

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therandomjapan.com

2023.11.14