JDS Aokumo

	JDS Aokumo
History
Japan
Name	Aokumo ; (あおくも);
Ordered	1969
Builder	Sumitomo, Uraga
Laid down	2 October 1970
Launched	20 March 1972
Commissioned	25 November 1972
Decommissioned	13 June 2003
Reclassified	TV-3512
Homeport	Kure
Identification	Pennant number: DD-119
Fate	Scrapped
General characteristics
Class and type	Yamagumo-class destroyer
Displacement	2,150 long tons (2,185 t) standard
Length	115.2 m (377 ft 11 in) overall
Beam	11.8 m (38 ft 9 in)
Draft	4.0 m (13 ft 1 in)
Propulsion	6 × Mitsubishi 12 UEV 30/40N diesels
Speed	27 knots (31 mph; 50 km/h)
Range	6,000 nmi (11,000 km)
Complement	220
Sensors and ; processing systems	OQS-3 (Type 66 passive sonar); VDS AN/SQS-35(J);
Electronic warfare ; & decoys	OPS-11B, OPS-17
Armament	4 × Mk.33 3"/50 caliber guns; 1 × ASROC anti-submarine rocket system; 1 × Bofors 375 mm (15 in) ASW rocket launcher; 2 × HOS-301 triple 324 mm (12.8 in) torpedo tubes;

JDS Aokumo (DD-119) was the fourth ship of Yamagumo-class destroyers.

Construction and career

Aokumo was laid down at Sumitomo Heavy Industries Uraga Shipyard on 2 October 1970 and launched on 20 March 1972. She was commissioned on 25 November 1972.^[1] She was incorporated into the 23rd Escort Corps along with JDS Asagumo and deployed to Sasebo.

Participated in practicing ocean voyages in 1974 and 1978.

From July 17 to August 28, 1976, she participated in RIMPAC 1976 with the escort ship JDS Akigumo, JDS Narushio and eight P-2J aircraft.

On October 5, 1979, at the Terashima harbor in Nagasaki Prefecture, the bow of JDS Aokumo during a night anchoring training that relied only on the moonlight without using any radar or lighting. It touched the rear part of the starboard side of JDS Akigumo, a hole was created on the waterline of Akigumo, and a small crack occurred on the starboard bow waterline of Akigumo. Neither ship was severely damaged.

On March 27, 1982, the 23rd Escort Corps was reorganized under the 4th Escort Corps group, and the fixed port was transferred to Ominato.

On January 31, 1990, the 23rd Escort Corps was reorganized under the control of the Ominato District Force.

Engaged in disaster dispatch activities due to the Hokkaido Nansei-oki Earthquake that occurred on July 2, 1993.

On March 24, 1997, the 23rd escort corps was renamed to the 25th escort corps due to the revision of the corps number.

On March 18, 1999, she was reclassified as a training vessel and her registration number changed to TV-3512. She was transferred to the 1st Training Squadron of the Training Squadron, and the home port was transferred to Kure.

She was removed on June 13, 2003. Her total itinerary during her commission reached 820,117 nautical miles, about 41 laps of the globe.^[2]^[3]

Citations

^ World Ships Special Edition 66th Collection Maritime Self-Defense Force All Ship History. Gaijinsha. 2004.
^ Ships of the World Vol. 750. Gaijinsha. November 2011.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
^ Takao, Ishibashi (2002). All Maritime Self-Defense Force Ships 1952-2002. Namiki Shobo.

References

[1] World Ships Special Edition 66th Collection Maritime Self-Defense Force All Ship History. Gaijinsha. 2004.

[2] Ships of the World Vol. 750. Gaijinsha. November 2011.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: year (link)

[3] Takao, Ishibashi (2002). All Maritime Self-Defense Force Ships 1952-2002. Namiki Shobo.

[1]

[2]

[3]

v t e Yamagumo-class destroyers
Yamagumo Makigumo Asagumo Aokumo Akigumo Yūgumo
Preceded by: Ayanami class Followed by: Minegumo class
List of destroyers of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force