Japanese destroyer visits Vietnam.

With the approval of the Vietnamese Government, the Fuyuzuki-class frigate of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, along with its crew, docked at Cam Ranh International Port in Khanh Hoa province, beginning a friendly visit to Vietnam from April 11 to 15.

The visit of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ship takes place against the backdrop of continuously strengthening and enhancing relations between the two countries in general, and defense relations in particular.

During their visit to Vietnam, the delegation will pay a courtesy call on the leaders of the Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee, the Commander of the 4th Naval Region, and visit Vietnamese Navy ships. The delegation will also participate in a friendly volleyball match with officers and soldiers of the 4th Naval Region.

According to Infonet, the destroyer Fuyuzuki (Winter Moon), hull number DD-118, is the last ship of the Akizuki-class destroyer, laid down at the Mitsui (Tamano) shipyard on June 14, 2011, and officially commissioned into the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) on April 13, 2014.

The ship, which cost nearly $1 billion to build (in 2009), has a full-load displacement of 6,800 tons, is 150m long, and has a crew of 200.

The Akizuki-class destroyers were designed for escorting the helicopter destroyers Hyuga and Izumo, and the missile destroyers Kongo and Atago. They can also perform attack and destroy roles targeting surface/underwater and airborne targets.

The Akizuki-class destroyers are considered a modernized variant of the Takanai-class, serving as a "shield" against air and sea threats for the larger Kongo, Hyuga, and Izumo-class destroyers. They are equipped with a series of improvements, such as reduced radar cross-section; anti-torpedo decoys; the ATECS combat control system (also known as the Japanese Aegis system); and upgraded engines, sensors, and sonar.

One of the highlights of the electronic technology on Japanese warships conducting exercises in the South China Sea is the integrated naval weapons management system FCS-3, which includes: a fire control and weapon target designation subsystem; and a multi-functional radar system.

The second technological highlight on the Akizuki-class destroyer is the OYQ-11 Advanced Combat Designation System (ACDS).

To act as a "shield" for destroyers like the Kongo and Hyuga, the JDS Fuyuzuki is equipped with the Mk41 vertical launch system (32 tubes) capable of firing RIM-162 ESSM anti-aircraft missiles.

The US-made RIM-162 ESSM missile is primarily designed to shoot down supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles. The missile has a range of up to 50 km, a flight speed of Mach 4+, and is equipped with a semi-active radar homing head.

To counter surface ships, the Fuyuzuki-class warship is equipped with the Type 90 (SSM-1B) anti-ship cruise missile system, which has a maximum range of 150km and carries a 225kg warhead.

In anti-submarine warfare, the Fuyuzuki is equipped with Type 07 anti-submarine missiles (fired from Mk-41 launchers) and two 324mm HOS-303 lightweight torpedo launchers (a copy of the American Mk 32 SVTT) combined with the integrated OQQ-22 sonar system (including underbody sonar and towed sonar), giving it relatively strong anti-submarine capabilities.

The naval gun system on this warship includes a 127mm Mk45 Mod 4 naval gun with a range of up to 37km thanks to its longer barrel than the previous generation, a muzzle velocity of 807.7m/s, and two Phalanx Block1b CIWS high-speed anti-aircraft gun mounts equipped with 6-barrel 20mm guns with a firing rate of 4,500 rounds/minute and an effective range of 3.5km.

The stern of the ship can carry an additional SH-60K anti-submarine helicopter.

According to Infonet