JDS Ishikari (DE-226)

The JDS Ishikari (DE-226) is the first destroyer escort with the gas turbine engine and surface-to-surface missile of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force. She is the successor of the earlier Chikugo-class frigate on the table, but there are many differences in their concepts.

At first, this ship was planned to belong to the new ship classification, PCE (Patrol Coastal ships, Escort) to replace small submarine chasers and old destroyer escorts with limited ASW capability against new nuclear-powered submarines. But finally, it was decided to change her classification to the ordinary destroyer escort. This class is quite epoch-making for the destroyer escorts of the JMSDF as follows:
 * The CODOG propulsion system.
 * This is the first ship with the gas turbine engine in the JMSDF. The Rolls-Royce Olympus TM-3B manufactured by the Kawasaki Heavy Industries under license was used for boosting. The cruising engine is the Kawaksaki 6DRV 35/44 diesel engine developed by the Technical Research and Development Institute (TRDI).


 * Centre-superstructure style.
 * Whereas the JMSDF incline to adopt the flush decker style, in this ship, the superstructure is at the center of the ship to save the space of the ship. This was very controversial decision, and because of this decision, there has been the criticism about the ocean going capability of this ship.


 * Simplified but sufficient C4ISR system.
 * This ship was not equipped with air-search radar whereas her predecessors almost had. Alternatively she had the OPS-28 surface search and target acquisition radar which can deal with low-altitude aircraft and missiles. And also the FCS-2 gun fire-control system has the air-searching capability. As the tactical data processing system, she has the OYQ-5 being capable of receiving data automatically from other ships via Link-14 (STANAG 5514; the data link with the Radioteletype).


 * Brand-new weapon systems.
 * This ship was equipped with eight Boeing Harpoon Surface-to-surface missile as the key weapon system whereas traditional Japanese frigates weighed heavily on the Anti-submarine warfare. According to this mission concept, its predecessor's Mark 16 GMLS for the ASROC system was removed. And a modern Otobreda 76 mm gun replaced its predecessor's older 3-inch gun and automation greatly reduced the number of crew needed.

This ship was built at the Mitsui Shipbuilding & Engineering Tamano office at Tamano, Okayama. She was commissioned in 28 March 1981, and was deployed at the Ominato District Force (home-ported at Mutsu, Aomori). The Ominato District is the northernmost district of the JMSDF and forefront against the Russian Pacific Fleet. But it was decided that the Ishikari was too small to continue production, so it was succeeded by the Yubari-class destroyer escort two years later.