Tokyo, March 20, 2023 — Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. today held a ceremony marking the delivery of the submarine Hakugei to the Japan Ministry of Defense (MOD) at its Kobe Shipyard Nishihama Quay at 11:55 AM. The ceremony was attended by a delegation of top MOD officials.
The submarine is the second Taigei class submarine, and the 30th built at Kawasaki Kobe Shipyard after World War II.
It provides superior submerged operation and propulsion performance, and high water pressure resistance by using high strength steel for its pressure hull. It also has lithium ion battery systems for increased underwater endurance, a variety of automated systems, improved surveillance capabilities using high-performance sonar, increased stealth capabilities, enhanced safety measures and several facilities for female crew.
The submarine’s construction timetable and specifications are as follows:
| Construction Timetable | |
|---|---|
| Construction begun | January 25, 2019 |
| Launched | October 14, 2021 |
| Estimated completion | March 20, 2023 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 84.0m |
| Beam | 9.1m |
| Depth | 10.4m |
| Displacement | 3,000 tons |
| Engines | Kawasaki 12V 25/25 SB-type diesel engines (2) Electric propulsion motor (1) |
| Armament | Underwater launch tubes |
| Other | Submarine snorkel Sonar |
