The Takatsuki-class destroyer was a series of four destroyers constructed for and operated by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Built between 1964 and 1970, the destroyers were mainly used for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) duties and were designed to operate the DASH unmanned ASW drone system. The system did not work and was removed from all four ships in 1977. In the mid-1980s, the first two ships of the class were modernized, receiving surface-to-air and anti-ship missiles. The final two ships were scheduled to be modernized, but the program was cancelled.
Modernization From 1985 to 1988, Takatsuki and Kikuzuki were upgraded with Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missile launchers, Harpoon missile anti-ship missile launchers, Phalanx CIWS systems (Kikuzuki only), new FCS (FCS-2-12) fire control radar and TASS. Mochizuki and Nagatsuki were in the upgrade program, but were eventually not upgraded.
Ships Takatsuki class construction data Pennant no. Name Builder Laid down Launched Completed Fate DD-164 Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries, Tokyo 8 October 1964 7 January 1966 15 March 1967 Decommissioned 16 August 2002 DD-165 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Nagasaki Shipyard 15 March 1966 25 March 1967 27 March 1968 Decommissioned 6 November 2003 DD-166 Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries, Tokyo 25 November 1966 15 March 1968 25 March 1969 Converted to an auxiliary ship (Pennant no. ASU-7019) on 16 March 1995, decommissioned on 19 March 1999 DD-167 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Nagasaki Shipyard 2 March 1968 19 March 1969 12 February 1970 Decommissioned 1 April 1996 and sunk as target on 3 August 1998
See also List of destroyer classes
Equivalent destroyers of the same era
References Citations
Bibliography
Further reading The Maru Special, Ships of the JMSDF No.57 Takatsuki class escort vessels, Ushio Shobō (Japan), November 1981 The Maru Special, Ships of the JMSDF No.78 Electronics weapons, Power Plants and Helicopters, Ushio Shobō (Japan), August 1983