The Soryu class submarine or 16SS is a new class of diesel-electric submarine being built in Japan for use by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. It is an evolved form of the Oyashio class submarine, currently the latest type of conventionally-powered submarine operated by the JMSDF, and it will have a larger displacement than any previous class of submarine used by post war Japan. It can be best visually distinguished from the Oyashio class by the X-shape of the tail planes.
The class will also have an Stirling AIP engine (four 4V-275R Mk-III, power output each 75kW) licensed built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries system, allowing it to stay submerged for longer periods of time.Prior to SS Soryu, the submarines built for the JMSDF were named after the names of ocean currents. The JMSDF changed its naming convention and list of legendary auspicious animals will be used for following submarines. Sōryū literally means blue dragon in Japanese. She is named after the World War II carrier of the same name, which was sunk during the Battle of Midway.
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Sōryū |
| Builders: | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Kawasaki Shipbuilding Corporation |
| Operators: |  Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force |
| Preceded by: | Oyashio-class submarine |
| Built: | 2005– |
| In commission: | (2009)– |
| Building: | 2 |
| Planned: | 2 |
| Completed: | 3 |
| Active: | 3 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Submarine |
| Displacement: | Surfaced: 2,900 tonnes (2,854 long tons) Submerged: 4,200 t (4,134 long tons) |
| Length: | 84.0 m (275 ft 7 in) |
| Beam: | 9.1 m (29 ft 10 in) |
| Draught: | 8.5 m (27 ft 11 in) |
| Propulsion: | 1-shaft 2× Kawasaki 12Ｖ 25/25 SB-type diesel engines diesel-electric 4× Kawasaki Kockums V4-275R Stirling engines 3,900 hp (2,900 kW) surfaced 8,000 hp (6,000 kW) submerged |
| Speed: | Surfaced: 13 kn (24 km/h; 15 mph) Submerged: 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph) |
| Range: | 6100 nautical miles (11297.2 km; 7060.75 miles) at 6.5 knots (12 km/h; 7.48 mp/h) (est.) |
| Test depth: | 900’, 1000’ crush |
| Complement: | 65 (9 officers, 56 enlisted) |
| Sensors and processing systems: | ZPS-6F surface/low-level air search radar Hughes/Oki ZQQ-7 Sonar suite: 1× bow-array, 4× LF flank arrays and 1× Towed array sonar |
| Electronic warfare and decoys: | ZLR-3-6 ESM equipment 2× 3-inch underwater countermeasure launcher tubes for launching of Acoustic Device Countermeasures (ADCs) |
| Armament: | 6×HU-606 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes with 30 reloads for: 1.) Type 89 torpedoes 2.) UGM-84 Harpoon Mines |
