The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force has accepted its fifth Taigei-class diesel-electric attack submarine from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
The handover of the JS Chōgei (SS-517) was conducted at Mitsubishi’s shipyard in Kobe, Hyogo prefecture, making it the second platform from the site to be delivered under the program.
Construction of the vessel began in 2022, followed by its launch in 2024.
Tokyo will assign the system at the Yokosuka Naval Base in Kanagawa Prefecture, from where it will undertake anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare as well as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions.
It will also conduct patrol missions across territorial waters, particularly across the Miyako Strait, a critical chokepoint between Japan, China, and Taiwan.
The Taigei program was conceptualized in 2004 to employ successors to the service’s Sōryū-class submarines adopted in 2009.
Assembly of the new fleet began in 2012, with design incorporating slightly heavier structures, improved detection solutions, and a modern power supply.
The Taigei System
A Taigei submarine measures 84 meters (275.5 feet) long, has a beam of 9 meters (29.5 feet), and has the capacity for up to 40 personnel.
It is equipped with two Kawasaki diesel engines and a lithium-ion battery rather than traditional lead-acid technology, supporting an output of approximately 6,000 horsepower for extended operability.
The vessel is armed with heavy torpedoes, anti-ship missiles, and surface-to-ship missiles. Sources said that it could also carry a Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectile, a hypersonic weapon being developed as part of the East Asian country’s ballistic arsenal.
The platform has a displacement of 3,000 tonnes and a maximum speed of 20 knots.
Tokyo’s current plan under the Taigei initiative includes the construction of 10 systems, with commissioning scheduled through 2031.
