JS Kerama
JS Kerama during her launch ceremony | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Japan | |
| Name |
|
| Namesake | Kerama Islands |
| Ordered | 2022 |
| Builder | JMU, Yokohama |
| Laid down | 20 July 2023 |
| Launched | 18 December 2025 |
| Commissioned | 2026 (scheduled) |
| Identification | Pennant number: MSO-308 |
| Status | To be commissioned |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Awaji-class minesweeper |
| Displacement | 690 t (680 long tons) standard |
| Length | 66.8 m (219 ft 2 in) |
| Beam | 11 m (36 ft 1 in) |
| Draft | 2.7 m (8 ft 10 in) |
| Depth | 5.2 m (17 ft 1 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph) |
| Complement | 54 |
| Sensors & processing systems | |
| Armament | 1 × single JM61R-MS 20mm gun |
JS Kerama (Japanese: けらま; Hull number: MSO-308) is a minesweeper of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, and is the fifth ship of the Awaji class. She is named after the Kerama Islands, which are located near Okinawa Island;[1][2] she is the first warship to bear this name, as the Imperial Japanese Navy had never used the name for its ships.[3]
Construction and career
Kerama was laid down at JMU's Yokohama Shipyard on 20 July 2023, and was later launched on 18 December 2025.[2][4] She is scheduled to be commissioned in 2026 after a period of fitting out and sea trials,[1] intended to be assigned to the Amphibious Mine Warfare Group (水陸両用戦機雷戦群) under the Surface Fleet (艦隊).[3]
References
- ^ a b "史上初の艦名！ 最新自衛艦「けらま」進水 日本最大級のプラスチック船その理由は？". 乗りものニュース (in Japanese). 18 December 2025. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
- ^ a b 防衛省 海上自衛隊 [@JMSDF_PAO] (19 December 2025). "命名「けらま」" (Tweet). Retrieved 19 December 2025 – via X (formerly Twitter).
- ^ a b "JMU、最新鋭掃海艦「けらま」を進水 海自あわじ型5番艦 艦名は沖縄・八重山の「慶良間島」に由来（高橋浩祐） - エキスパート". Yahoo!ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 December 2025.
- ^ "令和４年度計画掃海艦の命名式・進水式について" (PDF) (Press release) (in Japanese). Ministry of Defence. 7 December 2025. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to JS Kerama (MSO-308).