Japanese patrol vessel Mizuho
Japanese Coast Guard ship
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Japanese patrol boat Mizuho is a PLH type patrol vessels of the Japan Coast Guard. She is only ship in her class: the construction of a second ship was planned originally, but has not been achieved as of 2020 due to the start of construction of the Shunkō class and Reimei class.[1]
Japan Coast Guard.jpg) Mizuho at Port of Naha | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Mizuho-class patrol vessel |
| Operators | Japan Coast Guard |
| Preceded by | Mizuho class |
| Succeeded by | Shunkō class |
| Completed | 1 |
| Active | 1 |
| Laid up | 1 |
| History | |
| Name | Mizuho |
| Ordered | 2015 |
| Builder | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Shimonoseki Shipyard |
| Launched | November 9, 2018 |
| Commissioned | August 22, 2019 |
| Identification |
|
| Status | Active |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 6,000 GT |
| Length | 134 m (439 ft 8 in) |
| Beam | 15.8 m (51 ft 10 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) |
| Armament |
|
| Aircraft carried | 2 × Bell 412 helicopters |
Design
Essentially, this ship is designed to be an enlarged version of the Kunigami class, with a helicopter deck and hangar as a successor to Mizuho (PLH-21).[2] As well as being a platform for helicopters, she also functions as a depot ship: replenishing fuel, potable water and stores to small patrol crafts and resting their crew. And as a frontline command center, she also has excellent command and control functions.[1][3]
She is armed with one Bofors L/70 40 mm gun (Bofors 40 Mk4) and one JM61-RFS 20 mm gun, each controlled by an electro-optical director.[3] The Sikorsky S-76D helicopters was supposed to be used as the shipboard helicopters,[2] but in actual, the Bell 412 helicopters were transferred directly from the PLH-21.[1][3]
