JS Hirado

JS Hirado (MSO-305) is the second ship of the Awaji-class minesweepers of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).

JS Hirado and JS Awaji on 30 April 2018
History
Japan
Name	Hirado (ひらど)
Namesake	Hirado
Ordered	2014
Builder	JMU, Yokohama
Laid down	10 April 2015
Launched	10 February 2017
Commissioned	16 March 2018
Homeport	Yokosuka
Identification	Pennant number: MSO-305
Status	Active
General characteristics
Class and type	Awaji-class minesweeper
Displacement	690 t (680 long tons) standard
Length	66.8 m (219 ft 2 in)
Beam	11 m (36 ft 1 in)
Draft	2.7 m (8 ft 10 in)
Depth	5.2 m (17 ft 1 in)
Propulsion	2 × diesel electric engines 2 × shafts
Speed	14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Complement	54
Sensors and processing systems	OPS-39H surface-search radar OQQ-10-1 sonar ZQS-4 sonar OZZ-2 UUV
Armament	1 × single JM61R-MS 20mm guns

Construction and career

Hirado was laid down on 10 April 2015 and launched on 10 February 2017 by Japan Marine United (JMU) Yokohama Shipyard. She was commissioned on 16 March 2018, and she was then incorporated into the 1st Mine Warfare Group and deployed to Yokosuka.^[1][2]

From July 18 to July 30, 2018, she conducted mine warfare training and some Japan-US-India joint minesweeping special training in Mutsu Bay.^[3]

Gallery

• 
  JS Awaji and JS Awaji on 30 April 2018
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
  JS Hirado underway on 16 September 2019