Yesterday, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) announced the launch of its fourth Hibiki-class surveillance auxiliary vessel, which will be named JS Bingo (AOS 5204) in honor of a region in the Seto Inland Sea that separates the islands of Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu in the southern part of the country. The ceremony was held at the shipyard operated by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Maritime Systems in Tamano, Okayama Prefecture.
With delivery scheduled for March 2026, the vessel will now enter the final stage of its construction process, during which it will receive its remaining equipment and undergo the necessary certification trials. This process began in 2023 when a contract worth over 19.6 billion yen was awarded to initiate the ship’s construction. The vessel is intended to join the JMSDF’s 1st Ocean Surveillance Division, based at the Kure Naval Base in Hiroshima—the only unit within the force dedicated to surveillance operations.
Reviewing some of the key features of the JS Bingo, it is a vessel with a length of 67 meters and a beam of approximately 30 meters, displacing 3,800 tons at full load and capable of reaching speeds of up to 11 knots. One of its main advantages is its advanced Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System (SURTASS), which boasts significant improvements over the systems installed on the first two ships of the class, JS Hibiki (AOS 5201) and JS Harima (AOS 5202), which entered service in the 1990s.
Regarding its crew, the JMSDF reports that each vessel of the class requires up to 40 personnel for operation, with a rotation system currently consisting of four teams. With the commissioning of this new vessel, the system will expand to five teams for four ships. Operating under the command of the Oceanographic ASW Support Command, its primary mission will be the detection and tracking of potential underwater threats, particularly those originating from China and Russia. To fulfill this role, in addition to the aforementioned SURTASS system, the JS Bingo will feature a helipad capable of accommodating Mitsubishi H-60 helicopters specially equipped for anti-submarine warfare.
Image credits: @JMSDF_PAO on X
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