JSKongō

	JSKongōtransitingPearl Harboron 14 December 2007
History
Japan
Name	Kongō; (こんごう);
Namesake	Mount Kongō
Ordered	1988
Builder	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Laid down	8 May 1990
Launched	26 September 1991
Commissioned	25 March 1993
Homeport	Sasebo
Identification	MMSI number:431999504; Pennant number:DDG-173;
Status	Active
General characteristics
Class and type	Kongō-classdestroyer
Displacement	7500 tons standard; 9500 tons full load;
Length	528.2 ft (161.0 m)
Beam	68.9 ft (21.0 m)
Draft	20.3 ft (6.2 m)
Propulsion	4 Ishikawajima Harima/General Electric LM2500-30gas turbines;; two shafts,; 100,000 shp (75,000 kW);
Speed	30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Range	4,500 nautical miles (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement	300
Sensors and; processing systems	AN/SPY-1D; OPS-28 surface search radar; OQS-102 bow mounted sonar;
Electronic warfare; & decoys	NOLQ-2 intercept / jammer
Armament	1 ×127 mm (5 in)/54 Caliber Oto Melara Compact Gun; 8 ×RGM-84 Harpoon Anti-ship Missilein quad canisters; 2 × 20 mmPhalanx CIWS; 2 × HOS-302 tripletorpedo tubes:; Mark 46 torpedo; Type 73 torpedoes; 90-cellMk. 41Vertical Launching System:; SM-2MR Surface-to-air missile; SM-3 Anti-ballistic missile; RUM-139 Anti-Submarine Rocket; RIM-162 Surface-to-air missile;
Aviation facilities	1 ×SH-60K helicopter

JSKongō(DDG-173)is aKongō-class guided missile destroyerin theJapan Maritime Self-Defense Force(JMSDF).Kongōis the third Japanese naval vessel named afterMount Kongō.She was laid down byMitsubishi Heavy IndustriesinNagasaki,Nagasakion 8 May 1990. The launching ceremony took place on 26 September 1991 and she was commissioned on 25 March 1993. She was the first ship outside of theUnited Statesto feature theAegis combat systemand itsballistic missile defense capability.^[1]

Operational history

Kongōwas laid down on 8 May 1990 at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki Shipyard's Yaijima Plant as a 7200-ton destroyer planned in 1988 based on the medium-term defense improvement plan. She was launched on 26 September 1991 and commissioned on 25 March 1993. Overall, The construction cost was 122.3 billionyen.As thelead ship,she was the only one in her class not to have the ORQ-1 helicopter data link installed at the time of commissioning, which was installed later along with the antenna ofLink 16.

From 26 November 1993 to 21 February 1994 she was dispatched toHawaiifor the Aegis System Equipment Qualification Test (SQT). Later that year, she participated inRIMPACbetween 23 June and 6 July, also around Hawaii. She also participated in RIMPAC 2000, accompanied by a large JMSDF fleet consisting of the destroyersKurama,Shimakaze,Murasame,Harusame,Yūdachi,Kirisame,Asagiri,as well as the supply shipHamanaand submarineNatusushio.During the exerciseKongōsuccessfully intercepted 3 simulated missiles and anF-16with herSM-2 Surface-to-air missiles.^{[citation needed]}

She was deployed to theIndian Oceanbetween 17 May and 19 September 2004 in response to the passing of the "Act on Special Measures Against Terrorism", alongside theAriakeandHamana.^{[citation needed]}

In November 2006 she was dry-docked at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki Shipyard for inspection and modified to carry theSM-3 block IA,which was completed by March 2007 and inspections finished by August. On 15 October of the same year, she was stationed near Hawaii for the purpose of MD system testing, and succeeded in tracking two targets during an interception test with theUS Navy Ticonderoga-class cruiser USSLake Erieon 6 November. On 15 November, she succeeded in tracking a separated target during ballistic missile target tracking training. In December 2007, Japan conducted a successful test of the SM-3 block IA against a ballistic missile aboardKongō.^[2]^[3]This was the first time a Japanese ship was selected to launch the interceptor missile during a test of theAegis Ballistic Missile Defense System.In previous tests they provided tracking and communications.^[4]^[5]

In 2012,Kongō,ChōkaiandMyōkōwere deployed in cooperation with the US Navy in preparation for theDemocratic Republic of Koreato test theKwangmyŏngsŏng-3 Unit 2.However, the ships were withdrawn after the satellite did not violate Japanese airspace.^[6]

In April 2013 she was again sortied in response to a North Korean missile launch, returning to Sasebo on 30 June.^[7]

As of April 2020,Kongōis based inSasebo, Nagasaki.