Ōsumi-class tank landing ship (1961)

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JDS Shiretoko
Class overview
NameŌsumi class
BuildersSasebo Naval Arsenal
Operators Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
Succeeded byAtsumi-class tank landing ship
Built1944-1945
In commission1961-1976
Planned3
Completed3
Retired3
General characteristics
TypeLanding ship tank
Displacement
  • 1,780 long tons (1,809 t) light
  • 3,640 long tons (3,698 t) full
Length328 ft (100 m)
Beam50 ft (15 m)
Draft
  • Unloaded :
  • 2 ft 4 in (0.71 m) forward
  • 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) aft
  • Loaded :
  • 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m) forward
  • 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) aft
Propulsion2 × General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders
Speed12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Boats & landing
craft carried
2 LCVPs
TroopsApproximately 140 officers and enlisted men
Complement8-10 officers, 100-115 enlisted men
Armament

The Osumi-class tank landing ship were a class of transport ships operated by the Maritime Self-Defense Force. It was recommissioned with the donation of three LST-542-class tank landing ship from the US Navy. Initially, it was categorized as a amphibious landing ship, but the ship type was changed on 1 April 1971.[1]

Description[edit]

The Maritime Self-Defense Force's transport and landing craft unit consists of six general-purpose landing craft (LCUs) (built in Japan by extraterritorial procurement) and mobile landing craft (built in Japan) provided by the US Navy based on the MSA Agreement in 1955 (Showa 30). It all started with the establishment of a fleet of 29 ships. However, all of these were small, had limited transport and landing capabilities, and lacked seakeeping. From this, based on the MSA agreement, three LST-542-class tank landing ships, which had been mothballed in the United States, will be provided.

The LST-542 class was the last model of the LST-1-class tank landing ship, and the displacement is increased by adding one layer of bridge and adding machine guns based on the early model, and it is also the latter model In comparison, the amount of cargo loaded has been reduced to 1,900 tons due to the strengthening of water production capacity. In addition, Ōsumi-class had three davits on each side that could carry landing craft such as mobile landing craft (LCM) and vehicle personnel landing craft (LCVP), but JDS Shiretoko has a bridge structure. There is only one on each side.

Ships in the class[edit]

Ōsumi class[2]
Hull no. Name Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned Decommissioned
LST 4001 Ōsumi Jeffersonville Boat and Machine Company, Indiana, United States 11 January 1944 9 March 1944 1 April 1961 30 March 1974
LST 4002 Shimokita Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Massachusetts, United States 6 September 1944 25 October 1944 1 April 1961 31 March 1975
LST 4003 Shiretoko American Bridge Company, Pennsylvania, United States 9 January 1945 14 February 1945 1 April 1961 31 March 1976

Citations[edit]

  1. ^ 「海上自衛隊全艦艇史」『世界の艦船』第630号、海人社、2004年8月、 1-261頁、 NAID 40006330308。
  2. ^ "Osumi ex US LST 542 class tank landing ship japan maritime self defense force". www.seaforces.org. Retrieved 29 October 2020.

References[edit]

  • Couhat, Jean Labayle, ed. (1986). Combat Fleets of the World 1986/87. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-85368-860-5.
  • Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen & Budzbon, Przemysław, eds. (1995). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.
  • Sharpe, Richard, ed. (1991). Jane's Fighting Ships 1991–92 (94 ed.). Surrey, United Kingdom: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 0-7106-0960-4.