Video: JMSDF commissions 3rd Hibiki-class ocean surveillance ship

Last week, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) commissioned Hibiki-class ocean surveillance ship JS Aki (AOS-5203).

The commissioning and delivery ceremony took place at Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding’s (Mitsui E&S) Tamano shipyard on 4 March 2021.

Featuring a length of 67 meters and a width of 29.9 meters, JS Aki is JMSDF’s third Hibiki-class unit which has a small-waterplane-area twin hull (SWATH) design.

With a full load displacement of 3,861 tons, the ship can reach a speed of 11 knots.

The newbuild is equipped with an AN/UQQ-2 surveillance towed array sensor system (SURTASS). Additionally, it is powered by four Mitsubishi diesel-electric engines.

The entire ceremony was shared by Mitsui E&S in the video below:

JS Aki’s commissioning came only a day after Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) launched JS Mogami (FFM-1), the first-in-class of next-generation multi-mission frigates ordered by the JMSDF.