The Miura-class landing ship tank is a class of three tank landing ships (LSTs) that served with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) from 1975 to 2002. They were primarily deployed for logistic support but were also used to carry heavy construction equipment such as trenchers.
Description The three Miura-class tank landing ships (LSTs) had a standard displacement of and at full load. They were long between perpendiculars and overall with a beam of and a draft of . Ships in the class were powered by two Kawasaki-MAN V8V 22/30 AMTL diesel engines turning two shafts rated at . This gave them a maximum speed of and they carried enough diesel fuel for a range of at .
Vessels of the class carried two Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (LCVPs) and two Landing Craft Mechanized (LCMs). The LCVPs were slung under davits and a traveling gantry crane with folding rails that could be extended over the side handled the two LCMs positioned on the foredeck. The LSTs could carry up to 200 troops or of cargo, or ten Type 74 main battle tanks. The Miura class were armed with twin-mounted US Mark 33 /50 caliber guns situated forward in a single turret and a twin-mounted guns in a single turret placed aft. The LSTs were equipped with OPS-14 air search and OPS-16 surface search radar. For fire control, Miura mounted a 72-1B for the 76 mm guns and US Mk 51 fire control for the 40 mm guns. The other two vessels were equipped with US Mk 63 fire control for the 76 mm guns and US Mk 51 for the 40 mm guns. They had a complement of 118 officers and crew.
Ships in the class + Miura class Name Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned Decommissioned LST 4151 Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries, Tokyo, Japan 26 November 1973 13 August 1974 29 January 1975 7 April 2000 LST 4152 10 June 1974 2 September 1975 22 March 1976 10 August 2001 LST 4153 26 May 1975 12 May 1976 17 February 1977 28 June 2002
Service history Three tank landing ships were ordered from Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries and constructed in Tokyo, Japan. The first of the class, Miura entered service in 1975 with the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF), with Ojika following in 1976 and Satsuma in 1977. Primarily used for logistic support, the Miura class has also been used to trial new guns for the JMSDF, which Satsuma did with the OTO Melara 76 mm Compact gun.
See also Equivalent landing ships of the same era Type 073
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References
External links
Miura class at Globalsecurity.org