The Sugashima class is a class of coastal minesweepers of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).
Development From the lessons learned in the 1991 dispatch of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces to the Persian Gulf, the JMSDF took the example of the Royal Navy's Sandown-class minehunter, built after the 1994 plan especially in order to improve its capabilities regarding mine clearance. However, due to the fact that Sandown-class was basically a minesweeper that did not have minesweeping ability and the fact that the waters around Japan have many muddy seabeds that are not suitable for minesweeping, the abandonment of minesweeping ability was unacceptable to the JMSDF. For these reasons, the ships have the ability to sweep with Australian-made DYAD-sensitive minesweepers, but, due to magnetic management issues, it was decided that it would not be installed all the time but would be received from a mother ship at sea as needed. Operational restrictions were large, and mobility was also restricted.
Ships in the class Pennant no.NameBuildersLaid downLaunchedCommissionedDecommissionedHome portMSC-681SugashimaUniversal Shipbuilding Corporation, Keihin8 May 199625 August 199716 March 199915 March 2023MaizuruMSC-682NotojimaHitachi Zosen Corporation, Kanagawa3 September 199712 June 2020, after collision with civilian cargo ship on 26 June 2019MaizuruMSC-683Tsunoshima7 August 199722 October 199813 March 20003 March 2024KureMSC-684NaoshimaNippon Kokan, Keihin17 April 19987 October 199916 March 200112 March 2025KureMSC-685ToyoshimaHitachi Zosen Corporation, Kanagawa26 April 199913 September 200014 March 200225 March 2026SaseboMSC-686UkushimaNippon Kokan, Keihin17 May 200017 September 200118 March 2003Sunk off Oshima 10 November 2024 after catching fire in engine room & capsizing, one sailor (Petty Officer Third Class Tatsunori Koga) killedSaseboMSC-687IzushimaHitachi Zosen Corporation, Kanagawa27 April 200031 October 2001OminatoMSC-688AishimaNippon Kokan, Keihin17 April 20018 October 200226 February 2004MaizuruMSC-689AoshimaHitachi Zosen Corporation, Kanagawa15 April 200216 September 20039 February 2005OminatoMSC-690Miyajima28 May 200210 October 2003KureMSC-691ShishijimaUniversal Shipbuilding Corporation, Keihin23 May 200329 September 20048 February 2006SaseboMSC-692Kuroshima12 May 200431 August 200523 February 2007Sasebo
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