ELECTRONIC WEAPONS: Cold War Magic Revisited
April 27, 2021:
In early 202o Japan put a third Hibiki-class of Ocean Surveillance Ship into service. The first two entered service in 1991 and 1992. Why the long delay? It has to do with what these ships were designed for. Hibiki-class ships are catamaran (twin hull) designs that are 67 meters (214 feet) long 30 meter (99 feet wide) and manned by a crew of 40. There is room for a helicopter landing pad. These ships can remain at sea for 90 days at a time. They have a top speed of 20 kilometers an hour and can cover 7,000 kilometers per trip. Hibikis’ are equipped with an American made SURTASS (Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System) that is designed to detect submarines in shallow or deep water. The twin-hull design provides a very wide ship and stability when slowly moving through rough seas towing the SURTASS apparatus.