October 13, 2017

Japanese shipbuilder Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has launched the country’s second Asahi-class destroyer, the future JS Shiranui.

The ship was launched on October 12 in Nagasaki.

JS Shiranui (pennant number 120) and her sister ship Asahi are based on the Akizuki-class destroyer but with a focus on anti-submarine instead of anti-air warfare.

The ships measure 151 meters in length and displace 5,100 tonnes and cost around $732 million to build, according to the Japanese defense ministry.

The lead ship in the class was launched in October 2016 and is currently on sea trials. It is expected to be commissioned in 2018 and will reportedly be stationed in Sasebo.

The JS Shiranui is expected to be commissioned into the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force a year later, in March 2019.