Towada-class replenishment ship

The Towada class is a series of replenishment oilers of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Three ships of the class were built between 1985 and 1989. The ships have the hull designator AOE.[1]

The US Navy destroyer USS McCampbell, right, conducts a replenishment at sea with Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force fast-combat support ship JDS Hamana in 2012
Class overview
BuildersHitachi Shipbuilding Corporation, Maizuru Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries, Tokyo
Operators Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
Preceded bySagami class
Succeeded byMashū class
Planned3
Completed3
Active3
General characteristics
TypeFast combat support ship
Displacement
Length167 m (548 ft)
Beam22.0 m (72.2 ft)
Draught15.9 m (52 ft)
Propulsion
  • 2 × Mitsui 16V42M-A diesel engines
  • 26,000 shp (19,388 kW) each
  • 2 × shafts
Speed22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph)
Range10,500 nmi (19,446 km; 12,083 mi) at 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph)
Complement140
Aviation facilitiesHelicopter deck only, may carry helicopters up to the size of MH-53E

The Towada class was designed as an enlarged, improved version of the Sagami-class fast combat support ships. The vessels are capable of mounting the Phalanx CIWS by design, although this is not a common occurrence.[2]

List of ships

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Name Number Laid down Launched Commissioned Decommissioned Homeport Status
Towada (とわだ) AOE-422 17 April 1985 25 March 1986 24 March 1987 Kure Active
Tokiwa (ときわ) AOE-423 12 May 1988 23 March 1989 12 March 1990 Yokosuka Active
Hamana (はまな) AOE-424 8 July 1988 18 May 1989 29 March 1990 Sasebo Active

References

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  1. ^ Wertheim, Eric (2013). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World, 16th Edition. Naval Institute Press. p. 377. ISBN 978-1591149545.
  2. ^ "AOE Towada Class". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
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