The Japan Marine United Corporation has launched the first of two new improved Atago destroyers for the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) at its shipyard in Yokohama.
Launched in a ceremony on July 30, the lead destroyer was named Maya – after a mountain in Kobe and a WWII heavy cruiser – and will be the namesake of what is currently a class of two Aegis-equipped, 8,200-ton destroyers.
Maya (DDG-179) is scheduled to be commissioned in 2020 after undergoing further outfitting and trials.
The 170-meter Maya-class (also known as 27DDG-class) ships will be equipped with the Aegis Baseline 9/Ballistic Missile Defense 5.1 variant, referred to as J7 for Japanese destroyers , and Raytheon’s Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) – s sensor data sharing tool currently fielded only on US and Australian Navy ships .
Powered by two combined gas turbine-electric and gas turbine (COGLAG) engines, the ship and 300 crew are propelled to a maximum stated speed of 30 knots.
Maya-class destroyers will field the SM-3 Block IIA missiles, for interception of short- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles, and will be capable of launching SM-6 anti-air missiles.