JS Aki

JS Aki (AOS-5203) is a Hibiki-class ocean surveillance ship of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).

JS Aki being launched on 17 January 2020
History
Japan
Name	Aki (あき)
Namesake	Aki
Ordered	1 February 2018
Builder	Mitsui, Tamano[1][2]
Laid down	October 2018
Launched	15 January 2020[2]
Commissioned	4 March 2021[1][3]
Identification	Hull number: AOS-5203[1]
Status	Commissioned
General characteristics
Class and type	Hibiki-class ocean surveillance ship
Displacement	2,850–3,800 long tons (2,896–3,861 t) full load
Length	67.0 m (219 ft 10 in)[1]
Beam	29.9 m (98 ft 1 in)[1]
Draft	7.5 m (24 ft 7 in)
Propulsion	4 × MTU 8V 4000 M33S diesel engines[4] 2 × shafts
Speed	11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph)[1]
Complement	40
Sensors and processing systems	OPS-16 OPS-9 Sonar AN / UQQ-2[1]
Aviation facilities	Helipad

Development and design

Hibiki-class vessels have a beam of 30 metres (98 ft 5 in), a top speed of 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph), and a standard range of 3,800 nautical miles (7,000 km; 4,400 mi).^[5] Each vessel has a crew of 40, including five American civilian technicians, and a flight deck for helicopters to operate off of.^[6][7] They are able to deploy on station for 90 days.^[7]

The vessels have an AN/UQQ-2 Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System (SURTASS), which was installed in the United States.^[8][7] Data from the sensors is relayed through the Defense Satellite Communications System and processed and shared with the United States.^[7] The data is fed into the Integrated Undersea Surveillance System.^[9]

Propulsion is provided by four Mitsubishi S6U-MPTK diesel electric engines.^[10][1]

Construction and career

Aki was laid down in October 2018 at Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding, Tamano and launched on 15 January 2020.^[2] She was commissioned on 4 March 2021.^[1][3]