Towada-class replenishment ship

The Towada class is a series of replenishment oilers of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Three ships of the class were built between 1985 and 1989. The ships have the hull designator AOE.[1]

The US Navy destroyer USS McCampbell, right, conducts a replenishment at sea with Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force fast-combat support ship JDS Hamana in 2012
Class overview
BuildersHitachi Shipbuilding Corporation, MaizuruIshikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries, Tokyo
Operators Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
Preceded bySagami class
Succeeded byMashū class
Planned3
Completed3
Active3
General characteristics
TypeFast combat support ship
Displacement
Length167 m (548 ft)
Beam22.0 m (72.2 ft)
Draught15.9 m (52 ft)
Propulsion
  • 2 × Mitsui 16V42M-A diesel engines
  • 26,000 shp (19,388 kW) each
  • 2 × shafts
Speed22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph)
Range10,500 nmi (19,446 km; 12,083 mi) at 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph)
Complement140
Aviation facilitiesHelicopter deck only, may carry helicopters up to the size of MH-53E

The Towada class was designed as an enlarged, improved version of the Sagami-class fast combat support ships. The vessels are capable of mounting the Phalanx CIWS by design, although this is not a common occurrence.[2]

List of ships edit

NameNumberLaid downLaunchedCommissionedDecommissionedHomeportStatus
Towada (とわだ)AOE-42217 April 198525 March 198624 March 1987KureActive
Tokiwa (ときわ)AOE-42312 May 198823 March 198912 March 1990YokosukaActive
Hamana (はまな)AOE-4248 July 198818 May 198929 March 1990SaseboActive

References edit

  1. ^ Wertheim, Eric (2013). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World, 16th Edition. Naval Institute Press. p. 377. ISBN 978-1591149545.
  2. ^ "AOE Towada Class". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 26 January 2016.

External links edit