The Awaji class is a class of minesweepers of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).
Development The Awaji-class is the successor to the . The hulls are constructed of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) along the lines of the . Since many naval mines are of the magnetic type, it was necessary to avoid the use of metal in the hull of minesweepers that dispose of that type, and, previously, most minesweepers were constructed of wood. By making the Awaji-class FRP, the standard displacement of the ships is reduced by 30%, and the life of the hulls are extended, although - it has almost the same dimensions as the previous wooden Yaeyama-class. In the image diagram of the budget request for the 2013 government budget, stealth was improved, but, in the budget request for the following year, the Enoshima-class was enlarged.
This class of ships is one of the largest FRP ships in the world. Japan Marine United (JMU), which possesses the construction technology and equipment for large FRP vessels, handed over the third ship to the Maritime Self-Defense Force on 16 March 2021. The Ministry of Defense and the Maritime Self-Defense Force budgeted 12.6 Billion yen for the construction of the fourth Awaji-class ship, following Etajima, in the 2020 budget.
Ships in the class Pennant no.NameBuildersLaid downLaunchedCommissionedHome portMSO-304Japan Marine United, Yokohama27 February 201427 October 201516 March 2017YokosukaMSO-30510 April 201510 February 201716 March 2018YokosukaMSO-30622 February 201812 December 201916 March 2021KureMSO-307 19 May 202124 October 202312 March 2025KureMSO-202318 December 20252026 (scheduled)MSO-06MOS2025MSO-TBAMSO-TBAMSO-TBA
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