Isuzu class destroyer escort

The third Isuzu-class destroyer escort, RJS Kitakami (DE-213).

The Isuzu-class Destroyer Escort was a destroyer escort (or frigate) class built for the Republic of Japan Navy (RoJN) in the early 1960s. The latter batch (Kitakami and Ōi) were quite different from the earlier two vessels in their propulsion and weaponry, so sometimes they were classified as the "Kitakami-class".

This class was the first RoJN surface combatant adopted shelter-deck design. Propulsion systems varied in each vessels because the RoJN tried to find the best way in the propulsion systems of future DEs. The design concept of this class and the CODAD propulsion system of the Kitakami-class became prototype of them of the latter DEs and DDKs such as Chikugo and Yamagumo-classes.

The gun system was a scale-down version of the Ayanami-class, four Vickers 3"/70-caliber Mk.6 guns with two Mk.33 dual mounts controlled by a Mk.63 GFCS. Main air-search RDF was a OPS-2, Japanese variant of the British Type 965.

Specifications

• Type: Destroyer Escort
• Service Period: 1961-1993
• Characteristics:
  • Length: 308 feet 4.8 inches (94 meters)
  • Beam: 33 feet 5.56 inches (10.2 meters)
  • Depth: 22 feet 11.64 inches(7 meters)
  • Draft: 11 feet 5.8 inches (3.5 meters)
  • Displacement: 1,670 tons (Standard); 1,904 tons (Full Load)
• Crew: 185
• Propulsion (Isuzu and Mogami): 4 x diesel engines (4,000 hp each), 2 x shafts
• Propulsion (Kitakami and Ōi): CODAD, 4 x diesel engines (4,250 hp each), 2 x shafts
• Range:
• Speed: 25 knots (46.3 km/h)
• Sensor Suite:
  • OPS-2 Air Search RDF
  • OPS-16 Surface Search RDF
  • OQA-1 Variable Depth ASDIC
  • OQS-12 Search ASDIC
  • OQY-2 Attack ASDIC
  • Mk.63 Gun Fire Director
  • Mk.105 ASW Command System
• Countermeasures:
  • NOLR-1 Electronic Support Measures
• Armament (Isuzu and Mogami):
  • 4 x Vickers Mk.6 3"/70-caliber guns (Type 57)
  • 1 x M/50 375mm ASW rocket launcher
  • 2 x Type 68 12.75" triple torpedo tubes
  • 1 x Y-gun depth charge throwers
  • 1 x depth charge rack
  • 4 x 533mm torpedo tubes

Unit Run

Pennant no.	Name	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned	Decommissioned
DE-211	Isuzu	April 16, 1960	January 17, 1961	July 29, 1961	March 25, 1992
DE-212	Mogami	August 4, 1960	March 7, 1961	October 28, 1961	June 20, 1991
DE-213	Kitakami	July 7, 1962	June 21, 1963	February 27, 1964	November 16, 1993
DE-214	Ōi	July 10, 1962	June 15, 1963	January 22, 1964	February 5, 1993