Japan Navy commissions 2nd Tagei class submarine JS Hakugei.

According to a tweet published by the Japanese MoD on March 20, 2023, the ship commissioning ceremony of the 2nd Taigei class submarine JS Hakugei was held at Kobe works, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.
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Japanese Taigei class submarine JS Hakugei. (Picture source: JMSDF)

The Taigei-class submarine is a type of submarine that has a displacement of 3,000 tonnes and a length of 84.0 meters (275 feet 7 inches). It has a beam of 9.1 meters (29 feet 10 inches) and a draught of 10.4 meters (34 feet 1 inch).

The hull design of the Taigei-class submarine is similar to the Sōryū-class submarine, but it is slightly heavier at 100 tons. The use of lithium-ion batteries is a new feature that the Taigei-class shares with the JS Ōryū and JS Tōryū submarines.

The use of lithium-ion batteries allows for longer underwater endurance and quieter operation compared to conventional lead-acid batteries. This is because lithium-ion batteries have a higher energy density and can store more energy per unit of weight. The snorkel power generation system allows the submarine to recharge its batteries while remaining submerged, further increasing its endurance.

The submarine has a complement of 70 personnel. The class is equipped with various sensors and processing systems such as the ZPS-6H surface/low-level air search radar and Oki ZQQ-8 sonar.

The submarines also have armament consisting of six HU-606 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes which can carry either Type 89 or Type 18 torpedoes or Harpoon missiles.