×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Small Arms Warships & Submarines Military Ranks Military Pay Scale (2024) Special Forces

JS Kongo (DDG-173)


Guided-Missile Destroyer Warship


Japan | 1993



"JS Kongo serves the modern Japanese Navy as the lead ship of her class comprised of advanced guided missile destroyers."

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one sea-going vessel design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for JS Kongo (DDG-173).
4 x Ishikawajima Harima (General Electric) LM2500-30 gas turbines developing 100,000 horsepower to 2 x Shafts.
Propulsion
30.0 kts
34.5 mph
Surface Speed
4,519 nm
5,200 miles | 8,369 km
Range
Structure
The bow-to-stern, port-to-starboard physical qualities of JS Kongo (DDG-173).
300
Personnel
Complement
528.2 ft
161.00 meters
O/A Length
68.9 ft
21.00 meters
Beam
20.3 ft
6.19 meters
Draught
8,500
tons
Displacement
Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of JS Kongo (DDG-173).
1 x 5" (127mm) /54 caliber OTO-Breda turreted deck gun.
1 x 29-cell Vertical Launch System (VLS) at bow (SM-2MR, SM-3 and RUM-139 ASROC capability).
1 x 61-cell VLS near stern (SM-2MR, SM-3 and RUM-139 ASROC capability).
2 xRGM-84 "Harpoon" Anti-Ship Missile (ASM) quad launchers near midships.
2 x 20mm Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems (CIWSs).
Air Arm
Available supported fixed-wing / rotary-wing aircraft featured in the design of JS Kongo (DDG-173).
1 x Mitsubishi (Sikorsky) SH-60K ASW/SAR helicopter.
Ships-in-Class (4)
Notable series variants as part of the JS Kongo (DDG-173) family line as relating to the Kongo-class group.
JDS Kongo (DDG-173); JDS Kirishima (DDG-174); JDS Myoko (DDG-175); JDS Chokai (DDG-176)
Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 08/08/2018 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Japan's geography dictates that it should have a powerful naval presence in the Asia-Pacific region of the world. North Korea is always active in showcasing new wares and China has grown increasingly bold in its South China Sea claims. As such, the Japanese military spends a healthy portion of its defense budget on its navy and, from this investment, has been seen a steady stream of capable warships featuring modern and advanced weaponry to help police territorial claims and keep potential enemies in check.

The Kongo-class guided missile destroyers, lead by JDS Kongo (DDG-173), were ordered in the 1980s and built throughout the 1990s. Kongo's sisters became JDS Kirishima, Myoko and Chokai. Commissioning of these warships spanned from 1993 to 1998 and the line succeeded the Hatakaze-class guided missile destroyers which numbered two and appeared during the 1980s. The Kongo-class is comparable to the American Navy's Arleigh Burke-class ships, though dimensionally larger.

Ordered in 1988, JDS Kongo was built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) with her keel laid down on May 8th, 1990. She was launched on September 26th, 1991 and was formally commissioned on March 25th, 1993. The vessel is named after Mount Kongo near Gose, the third Japanese Navy ship to feature the name. Today she forms an important component of the Japanese defense network - ever more so since tensions with China have been running high over the South China Sea area and North Korea is always keen to gain worldwide attention.

As built, JDS Kongo displaces 7,500 tons under standard load and 9,500 tons under full load. She showcases a length of 582 feet, a beam of 69 feet and a draught of 20 feet allowing her to operate in both deep and offshore environments. Installed power is comprised of 4 x Ishikawajima Harima (General Electric) LM2500-30 gas turbines developing 100,000 horsepower to 2 x shafts. This provides the vessel with speeds nearing 30 knots in ideal conditions and an operational range out to 5,200 miles when cruising at about 20 knots. Her crew complement numbers 300 officers and enlisted personnel.

JDS Kongo is classified as a "guided missile destroyer" which means she holds an advanced battery of missile weapons and the sensors/processing systems aboard. Her armament suite is also multi-purpose in that the warship can scan, track and engage aerial, surface, inland and underwater threats as needed - such is her design flexibility. She also carries conventional weaponry for close-range work.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.


The armament fit of the warship is led by a 90-cell Mk 41 Vertical Launch System (VLS) comprised of a 29-cell section at the forecastle and a 61-cell section towards the stern. These are cleared to fire the SM-2MR (RIM-66 Standard), SM-3 and RUM-139 series missiles. The SM-2MR is an anti-aircraft weapon while the SM-3 is an anti-ballistic missile weapon. The RUM-139 carries the acronym of "ASROC", detailed as "Anti-Submarine ROCket". Kongo is also outfitted with a pair of RGM-84 "Harpoon" Anti-Ship Missile (ASM) launchers near midships. Beyond this missile weaponry are the more conventionally-minded 5" (127mm) /54 caliber OTO-Breda turreted deck gun (over the forecastle) and 2 x 20mm Phalanx digital Close-In Weapon Systems (CIWSs).

Sensors and processing systems include the RCA AN/SPY-1D, 3D system, the JRC OPS-28D surface search radar, the NEC OQS-102 (SQS-53B/C) series bow-mounted sonar unit and the Melco NOLQ-2 intercept/jammer system. The passive towed sonar array is the Oki OQR-2 TACTASS. The JRC OPS-20 is used for navigation.

Her profile features a forward bridge superstructure (slab-sided for stealth) and a lattice-style main mast towering over the vessel. Smoke funnels are divided between two low-profile, fully-enclosed structures near midships. The aft funnels are integrated with the aft superstructure. The stern section has a helipad that supports the launching and retrieval of a helicopter - typically the American Sikorsky SH-60K series. This aircraft also provides the vessel with an "over-the-horizon" view and carries its own anti-ship/anti-submarine capabilities.

One of the more notable traits of JDS Kongo is her being the first warship outside of the United States to feature the advanced "AEGIS" Ballistic Missile Defense System, giving protection against incoming missile threats. The system works in conjunction with the intercept missiles carried by the ship as well as the AN/SPY-1 radar fit. The SM-2 and SM-3 missile family are both designed to take advantage of the AEGIS system to varying degrees and a first-test (successful) of the arrangement was had in December of 2007.

On August 3rd, 2016, regional neighbor North Korea tested a new missile weapon that landed within 600 miles of Japan catching Japanese authorities somewhat off guard. As only three AEGIS-equipped destroyers can be deployed by the Japanese Navy at any one time, this makes the Kongo a very special, and utterly important, warship in today's testy environment. At least three of her class would be needed to provide maximum protection for the Japanese mainland from a large scale North Korean missile attack.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
Operators
Global operator(s) of the JS Kongo (DDG-173). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national naval warfare listing.
National flag of modern Japan

[ Japan ]
1 / 4
Image of the JS Kongo (DDG-173)
Image from the United States Department of Defense DVIDS image network.
2 / 4
Image of the JS Kongo (DDG-173)
Image from the United States Department of Defense DVIDS image network.
3 / 4
Image of the JS Kongo (DDG-173)
Image from the United States Department of Defense DVIDS image network.
4 / 4
Image of the JS Kongo (DDG-173)
Image from the United States Department of Defense DVIDS image network.

Going Further...
JS Kongo (DDG-173) Guided-Missile Destroyer Warship appears in the following collections:
HOME
NAVAL WARFARE INDEX
WARSHIPS BY COUNTRY
SHIPBUILDERS
COMPARE WARSHIPS
SHIPS BY CONFLICT
SHIPS BY TYPE
SHIPS BY DECADE
MODERN VESSELS
Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Scale Military Ranks of the World U.S. Department of Defense Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols Breakdown U.S. 5-Star Generals List WWII Weapons by Country

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.


©2024 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2024 (21yrs)