Kongō-class Destroyer

Kongō-class Destroyer
- Guided Missile Destroyer -

- Kongō DDG Image A -

ORIGIN: (Real World)
Japan

GAMES FEATURED IN:
Air Combat
Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War
Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War

OPERATORS:
Belkan Navy
Terrorist Navy
Yuktobanian Navy

NOTABLE SHIPS:
AEGIS class 'Kaniak' of the Yuktobanian Navy (AC5)

WEAPONS:
• RGM-84 Harpoon SSM
• RIM-67 Standard SAM
• RUM-139 Vertical Launch ASROC
• 1 x 5 inch (127 mm) / 54 caliber Oto-Breda Compact Gun
• 2 x 20 mm Phalanx CIWS
• 2 x Mark 32 triple torpedo tubes (6 x Mk-46 torpedoes)

OVERVIEW:
The Kongô class of guided missile destroyers, a modification of the U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke class (Flight I), serves as the core ship of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF)'s Escort Flotillas. The Kongô class employs the highly advanced Aegis fire control system and is armed with the RIM-66 SM2 Block II surface-to-air missile, RUM-139 vertically launched anti-submarine rocket, the RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile, two Mark 15 20 mm CIWS gun mounts, two torpedo mounts in a triple tube configuration, and an Oto Melara 127 mm/54 caliber gun. Its Mark 41 vertical launch system can hold 90 missiles. However, in keeping with the defensive mission of the JMSDF and passive nature of the Japan Self-Defense Forces in general, the Kongô-class lacks the Tomahawk missile.

As on other ships employing the Aegis system, the superstructure is dominated by the SPY-1's phased arrays, which eliminates the need for a traditional rotating antenna. The design of the superstructure also incorporates certain stealth features, designed to reduce radar cross section of the ship. However, as a consequence, the ship is considerably more top-heavy than a typical destroyer and requires a much deeper draft. As such, operations in a littoral (coastal) environment are limited. Overall, Kongô-class destroyers are much larger than traditional destroyers and at 9,485 tons displacement come close to cruisers in size. Because of being built to merchant standards rather than military, the Kongô-class ships' internal arrangement is quite different from that of the Arleigh Burke-class ships on which their design is based.

The Kongô class vessels are being modified to serve in a theater missile defense role, with the primary intention of countering North Korean ballistic missiles. This purpose and a financial crisis made the Flight II variant of the Arleigh Burke class the choice for the follow-on class to the Tachikaze and Asakaze. The new destroyer was named Atago in 2005.

SOURCES:
Wikipedia
Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War / Squadron Leader
Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War

* Original Article by Garm 3