Ship spotting photographs and video of vessels sailing the Kanmon Straits of Japan between Kitakyushu and Shimonoseki. Accompanied with insightful details and meaningless commentary by Ship Freakazoid.
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JS HYUGA ひゅうが
photographed January 30, 2025 around 17:00 by Ship Freakazoid while JMSDF military vessel ship spotting in the Kanmon Straits of Japan. The helicopter carrier made an eerie metallic sound as it passed between Garden Paradise Kitakyushu and So-So Shimonoseki City on a hazy, frigid and windy winter afternoon.
JS HYUGA ・ ひゅうが sailing the Kanmon Straits of Japan
This Japan Maritime Self Defense Force ASW vessel's paintjob and construction gives it a unique look and makes it look very different from different angles and under differing lighting conditions. Interesting... And, certainly well planned out by what some call the Japanese Navy.
DDH-181 HYUGA a JMSDF anti-submarine warfare helicopter carrier
関門海峡を通る (HYUGA) ひゅうが型護衛艦
Ship Freakazoid captured the ASW (anti-submarine warfare) carrier HYUGA (DDH-181) as it sailed thru Kanmon Straits of Japan on January 30, 2025 at around 17:00. It's passage was announced in advance and posted on a Japan Coast Guard website. The old (very old) and faithful antique JVC Everio video camera with 54x Konica Minolta lens mounted on a secondhand Slik tripod was used to record video of this Japan Maritime Self Defense Force helicopter carrier. For photographs an old Olympus E-520 DSLR with 150mm Zuiko lens was used.
Here are some details on the ship:
Vessel Name: JS HYUGA ひゅうが
Type: Military Ops (ASW carrier / Helicopter Carrier - Hyuga Class ひゅうが型護衛艦)
Displacement: 13,950 tons standard; 19,000 tons full load
Length: 197 m (646 ft)
Width: 33 m (108 ft)
Draft: 7 m (23 ft)
Namesake: Hyūga Province
Ordered: 2004
Builder: IHI, Yokohama
Laid down: 11 May 2006
Launched: 23 August 2007
Commissioned: 18 March 2009
Homeport: Maizuru
IDENTIFICATION
MMSI number: 431999693
Callsign: JSNI
Pennant number: DDH-181
PROPULSION
COGAG, 4 Ishikawajima Harima/General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines
Two shafts 5-bladed CP props
100,000 shaft horsepower (75 MW)
Speed Over 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
SENSORS & PROCESSING SYSTEMS
ATECS (advanced technology command system)
OYQ-10 advanced combat direction system
FCS-3 AAW system
OQQ-21 ASW system
NOLQ-3C EW system
OPS-20C surface search radar
ARMAMENT
16 cells Mk 41 VLS
16 ESSM
12 RUM-139 VL ASROC
2 × 20 mm Phalanx CIWS
2 × triple 324 mm torpedo tubes
12.7mm MG
AIRCRAFT CARRIED
3 × SH-60K, 1 × MCH-101
18 aircraft maximum
AVIATION FACILITIES
Flight deck and enclosed hangar
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