Japan launches new Ocean Survellience Ship “AKI”

The naming and launch ceremony for the newest Ocean Surveillance Ship “AKI” was held at Mitsui E&S shipbuilding Co. Tamano Shipyard on 15th January. She is the 3rd of “HIBIKI Class” of Ocean Surveillance Ship and her name came from Akinada where located in the western part of the Seto Inland Sea.

Aki is an acoustic measurement ship built as the third of a sound-type acoustic measurement ship. First two ships of this class, the Hibiki AOS 5201 and the Harima AOS 5202 became operational in 1991 and 1992. The JMSDF had initially planned to procure five SURTASS ships, but the program was truncated with the end of the Cold War. The ships were built at the Mitsui shipyard in Tamano. They have a crew of 40, and are both home ported at Kure.

Check out the Naval Library App to find out specifications of the Hibiki Class Ocean Surveillance Ships.

This is the short video of the naming and launch ceremony is shown below.