JS Yūdachi (DD-103)
# JS Yūdachi (DD-103)

JS Yūdachi (DD-103) is the third ship of Murasame-class destroyers. She was commissioned on 4 March 1999.

## Design

The hull design was completely renovated from first-generation DDs. In addition to increasing the size in order to reduce the underwater radiation noise, both superstructure and hull was inclined to reduce the radar cross-section. There is however no angled tripod mainmast like the one of the American Arleigh Burke-class destroyer because of the heavy weather of the Sea of Japan in winter. The aft was designed like a "mini-Oranda-zaka" as with the Kongō class to avoid interference between helicopters and mooring devices. Destroyers built under the First Defense Build-up Plan, including the former Murasame class, adopted a unique long forecastle style called "Oranda-zaka".

The engine arrangement is COGAG as same as Asagiri class, but a pair of engines are updated to Spey SM1C. And the remaining one pair are replaced by LM2500, same as Kongō class.

## Construction and career

Yūdachi was laid down on 18 March 1996 at Sumitomo Heavy Industries Yokosuka as the 1994 plan and launched on 19 August 1997. Commissioned on 4 March 1999, was incorporated into the 6th Escort Corps of the 4th Escort Corps and deployed to Ōminato.

On 6 March 2016, as the 24th dispatched anti-piracy action surface corps, she departed from Ominato base for the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia with the escort ship JS Yūgiri and returned to Ominato on 8 September. In addition, on 1 September, on the way back to Japan, a goodwill training was conducted with the Philippine Navy's BRP Rajah Humabon.

## Gallery

* JS Yūdachi alongside JS Yūgiri in March 2016.
* JS Yūdachi alongside JS Fuyuzuki and JS Hyūga at Yokosuka on 25 September 2017.

## Citations

* ↑ "DD-101 Murasame Class". www.globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
* 1 2 Abe 2000, pp. 152–157.
* ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
* ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
