Neha Patil (Editor)

Shikishima (PLH 31)

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Name
  
PLH-31 Shikishima

Commissioned
  
April 8, 1992

Draft
  
9.0m (29 ft)

Construction started
  
24 August 1990

Weight
  
2.948 tons

Builder
  
IHI Corporation

Laid down
  
August 24, 1990

Displacement
  
6,500 GT

Length
  
150 m

Launched
  
27 June 1991

Beam
  
17 m

Shikishima (PLH 31) httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

Propulsion
  
2 × shafts 4 × diesel engines

Cutter largest patrol vessel shikishima class shikishima plh 31 imo 9009566 underway


The Shikishima PLH-31 is a Shikishima class patrol boat of the Japan Coast Guard. She was built by Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Tokyo.

Contents

Planned to guard plutonium transport ships, the Shikishima class is the largest and heaviest-equipped patrol vessel of the JCG. With her cruising capacity, she can make voyages from Japan to Europe without making any calls.

She is the only JCG ship equipped with anti-air radar and Oerlikon 35 mm twin cannons, so she has increased anti-air firepower. Usually, PL (Patrol vessels, Large) have only a navigation radar and a single-mounted 35mm or 40mm auto-cannon. And the JM61 20mm Vulcan on the single-mounted Remote weapon system later became a model for the 20mm RFS (Remote Firing System), which is on modern PMs and PSs such as the Tsurugi class PS. The OPS-14 2D air search radar is the Japanese counterpart of the American AN/SPS-49.

At present, she is frequently sent on long cruises to Southeast Asia to foster international cooperation against piracy in the Strait of Malacca. She is also assigned to the policing mission of Senkaku Islands because of her cruising capacity. The JCG appreciate her capability, so they have been planning to build two more vessels based on this design.

Largest patrol ship shikishima class jcg shikishima plh 31 departure japan coast guard


References

Shikishima (PLH 31) Wikipedia