JS Sōgei
Launching of Sōgei, 14 October 2025 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Japan | |
| Name | Sōgei |
| Ordered | Fisical year 2022 |
| Builder | Kawasaki Heavy Industries Kobe Shipyard |
| Cost | Approximately 73.6 billion yen |
| Laid down | 28 March 2023 |
| Launched | 14 October 2025 |
| Commissioned | March 2027 (scheduled) |
| Identification | Pennant number: SS-518 |
| Status | To be commissioned |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Taigei-class submarine |
| Displacement | 3,000 t (3,000 long tons) (standard) |
| Length | 84 m (275 ft 7 in) |
| Beam | 9.1 m (29 ft 10 in) |
| Depth | 10.4 m (34 ft 1 in) |
| Installed power | 6,000 PS (4,400 kW; 5,900 hp) (shaft output) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | Approximately 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph) |
| Crew | 70 |
| Sensors & processing systems |
|
| Armament |
|
JS Sōgei (Japanese: そうげい; Pennant number: SS-518) is a diesel-electric submarine of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, and the sixth boat of the Taigei-class. Her name, written in kanji as "蒼鯨", translates to "blue whale".[1] She is the first Japanese naval vessel to bore that name, as the Imperial Japanese Navy had not used the name.[2][3]
Construction and career
Sōgei was ordered in the fisical year 2022 as part of JMSDF's Mid-Term Defense Program. She was laid down on 28 March 2023 at Kawasaki Heavy Industries' Kobe Shipyard, and launched on 14 October 2025.[1][4] The vessel would then undergo a fitting out process and a period of sea trials, being scheduled to be commissioned in March 2027.[2][3]
References
Footnotes
- ^ a b 防衛省 海上自衛隊 [@JMSDF_PAO] (2025-10-14). "潜水艦「そうげい」命名式・進水式" (Tweet). Retrieved 2024-10-14 – via Twitter.
- ^ a b "海自期待の最新潜水艦「そうげい」誕生！ 仏原子力潜水艦よりデカいぞ 就役はいつ？". 乗りものニュース (in Japanese). 2025-10-14. Retrieved 2025-10-14.
- ^ a b Takahashi, Kosuke (2025-10-14). "海自の最新潜水艦たいげい型6番艦「そうげい」が命名・進水 漢字では「蒼鯨」 旧海軍での命名実績なし". Yahoo!ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-10-14.
- ^ "海自向け新型潜水艦「そうげい」進水 戦後32隻目 川崎重工が建造". 毎日新聞 (in Japanese). 毎日新聞社. 2025-10-14. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
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