TOKYO, Japan (BulgarianMilitary.com), 1 August 2018, Editor: Galina Zdravkova, Photo credit: the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force

The first of a new subclass of guided-missile destroyers with ballistic missile defence capabilities was launched on 30th July 2018 by the builder Japan Marine United for the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF), learned BulgarianMilitary.com

The ship is named the Maya. It is the first of two 27DDG destroyers which are ordered by the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force and it was launched during an official ceremony at Japan Marine United’s shipyard at Isogo Ward in Yokohama, south of Japan’s capital Tokyo. The Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera was present at the ceremony.

The length of the newly launched destroyer is 170 m, and it features an empty displacement of 8,200 tons. It is equipped with the Aegis Baseline J7 combat system and the Northrop Grumman AN/SPQ-9B radar system, and hence it features the capability to detect and track low-flying, high-speed, low-observable anti-ship missile targets in adverse environments. Aegis Baseline J7 is the Japanese equivalent for the Aegis Baseline 9/BMD 5.1 standard.

Both ordered vessels will be able to fire the SM-3 Block IIA missile, which is presently being developed by the United States and Japan for ballistic missile defence.

The Maya is scheduled for commissioning into the JMSDF in 2020. The second ordered ship of the same class, which is still unnamed, is expected to be launched next year and commissioned in 2021.

Earlier it has been announced by the Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun that the new guided-missile destroyers will feature the Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC), as well as that Japan plans to equip its Northrop Grumman E-2D Hawkeye early warning aircraft with CEC, too. In this way the detection and tracking sensors of aircraft and ships will be connected for providing the so called “integrated fire control capability” for combat aircraft and warships defence against air threats.

Four E-2D Hawkeyes has been ordered by Japan and all of them are scheduled for delivery in 2020.

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