Japan commissions first submarine powered by lithium-ion batteries

The Japan Maritime Self Defense Force or JMSDF has commissioned the 11th Soryu-class submarine on Thursday, which is also the first boat in the force to utilise lithium-ion batteries.

In a ceremony held at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries shipyard in the city of Kobe, the JMSDF welcomed the diesel-electric attack submarine Ouryu (SS-511) into service, where it will be assigned to the 1st Submarine Flotilla in the nearby port of Kure.

This is the sixth Soryu-class boat to be built by MHI, with Kawasaki Heavy Industries having built five more and is in the process of building the 12th and last such submarine ordered by Japan. The Ouryu was launched in October 2018.

The Ouryu and the last boat in its class, which will be christened the Toryu, will utilise lithium-ion batteries manufactured by GS Yuasa in lieu of Stirling-cycle engines recharging traditional lead acid batteries, which Japan says requires less maintenance and is capable of longer endurance at high submerged speeds compared to lead-acid batteries.

However, this is offset by higher acquisition costs due to the new technology, with the Ouryu costing the equivalent of $608 million when contracted in 2015 compared to the $488m cost of building the 10th Soryu-class boat, which was contracted a year prior.

The Soryu-class displaces 2,900 tonnes surfaced and 4,200 tonnes submerged, measuring just under 275 feet in length and are capable of 13 knots on the surface and 20 knots submerged. Each boat has a crew of 65 and are equipped with six torpedo tubes and can carry up to 30 21-inch heavy torpedoes, Harpoon anti-ship missiles or mines.

Japan will introduce a new class of submarines following the Soryus, which is currently known only as the 29SS class, named after the 29th year of former Japanese emperor’s Akihito’s reign, which corresponds to the 2017 in the commonly-used Gregorian calendar.

 

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