JS Yūdachi (DD-103)

JS ''Yūdachi'' (DD-103) is the third ship of destroyers. She was commissioned on 4 March 1999.

Design

The hull design was completely renovated from first-generation DDs. In addition to increasing the size in order to reduce the underwater radiation noise, both superstructure and hull was inclined to reduce the radar cross-section. There is however no angled tripod mainmast like that of the American because of the heavy weather of the Sea of Japan in winter. The aft was designed like a "mini- Oranda-zaka" as with the to avoid interference between helicopters and mooring devices. Destroyers built under the First Defense Build-up Plan, including the former , adopted a unique long forecastle style called "Oranda-zaka".

The engine arrangement is COGAG as same as ''Asagiri'' class, but a pair of engines are updated to Spey SM1C. And the remaining one pair are replaced by LM2500, same as ''Kongō'' class.

Construction and career

''Yūdachi'' was laid down on 18 March 1996 at Sumitomo Heavy Industries Yokosuka as the 1994 plan and launched on 19 August 1997. Commissioned on 4 March 1999, was incorporated into the 6th Escort Corps of the 4th Escort Corps and deployed to Ōminato.

On 6 March 2016, as the 24th dispatched anti-piracy action surface corps, she departed from Ominato base for the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia with the escort ship and returned to Ominato on 8 September. In addition, on 1 September, on the way back to Japan, a goodwill training was conducted with the Philippine Navy's .

''Yūdachi'' left with the 40th Surface Force from Ominato on 10 October 2021 to conduct a 14-day anti-piracy operation off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden. Owing to the spread of COVID-19 at the time, all of ''Yūdachi''s crew underwent PCR testing before departure. While sailing through the South China Sea, ''Yūdachi'' conducted joint training with the on 28 October 2021.

Under Captain Wakushima Hidetaka, on 29 January 2022, ''Yūdachi'' was involved in a training exercise with the in the Gulf of Aden, with cross-deck, tactical and close-combat maneuvers being conducted. In the same year, from 1 to 4 March, ''Yūdachi'' participated in the Indian Navy-led multinational joint exercise MILAN 2022, near Visakhapatnam, which also marked the first time the JMSDF had taken part in this particular event. On 5 March ''Yūdachi'' conducted joint training with in the Bay of Bengal, and on the following day, she met of the Republic of Singapore Navy in a goodwill training. From 14 to 16 March 2022, ''Yūdachi'' joined and HMAS ''Arunta'' in a joint training in the South China Sea, accompinaied by the US Navy's P-8 and the RAAF's AP-3C. She returned to Ominato on 11 April of the same year.

On 21 September 2023 ''Yūdachi'' conducted joint training with in Sagami Bay. In the same year, from 30 September to 10 October, she and participated in a joint US-Japanese training south of Kanto region in the East China Sea with the aircraft carrier , cruisers and ''Robert Smalls'', and the destroyer .

''Yūdachi'' participated in another US-Japanese joint training in the East China Sea off the coast of southern Shikoku from 19 to 21 November 2023, this time with the carrier , and destroyers , , , and .

References

Bibliography

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Further reading

* Saunders, Stephen. ''IHS Jane's Fighting Ships 2013-2014''. Jane's Information Group (2003).
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External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yūdachi (DD-103)
1997 ships
Murasame-class destroyers (1994)
Ships built by Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding