Japan Marine United launched a new mine countermeasures (MCM) vessel at its Yokohama facilities on Thursday, December 18.
The future JS Kerama is the fifth MCM vessel to be built under the Awaji-class for the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF). JS Noumi (pictured), the fourth ship in the class, was handed over to the JMSDF earlier this year.
Upon completion, the FRP-hulled Kerama will have an LOA of 67 metres, a beam of 11 metres, a draught of 2.7 metres, a depth of 5.2 metres, a displacement of 690 tonnes, and a crew of 50. Two 1,640kW diesel engines will drive propellers to deliver a maximum speed of 14 knots.
The dimensions make the Awaji-class ships the largest FRP-hulled minesweepers currently in active service with the JMSDF. FRP was selected for the Awaji-class ships' hulls due to its lower weight, its improved resistance to corrosion, and its reduced magnetic signature.
Notable features will include an unmanned underwater vehicle for MCM duties, a remotely operated vehicle for intelligence gathering, and a self-propelled mine disposal system (MDS).
The MDS will be equipped with explosives that can be remotely triggered from the MCM vessel via fibre-optic connection so that the latter’s crew will not be put at risk during disposal operations.
The future Kerama is scheduled to be commissioned into JMSDF service in the first quarter of 2027