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The Japanese
Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) was established in 1954 and soon began the
deployment of landing ships. At that time, only tank landing ships borrowed from
the U.S. were used. From 1965, however, the Japanese produced, "Atsumi" and
"Miura" type landing ships, deployed one after another. With the ever increasing
size of vehicles and equipment to be loaded, and due to the expanding variety of
duties to be performed, the deployment of multi-purpose landing ships with
increased loading capacity and maneuverability became necessary. Plans were
drawn up in 1993 and in March of 1998, the biggest transport ship of the JMSDF,
the "Ohsumi" was deployed. She boasts an immense upper deck, with an overall
length of 160m, breadth of 25.8m and houses a vehicle loading space on the front
and a helicopter landing deck on the rear. The front of her hull supports a 100m
long vehicle deck. In combination with the upper deck, the loading of between
ten and twenty tanks and about forty large scale vehicles is possible. Vehicles
are loaded on to the hull via two huge side ramps. Vertical movement of loaded
vehicles is enabled by two elevators, one 20t and one 15ft, for the lifting of
vehicles from deck to deck. The hull can accommodate 130 crew and 330 tropps. In
the case of a large scale natural disaster, "Ohsumi" is capable of accommodating
more than 1000 people and is fully equipped with medical equipment. In the rear
of the hull, there is a 60m long space for two LCAC (Landing Craft Air Cushions)
place end to end. The first transport hovercraft of the JSDF, the LCAC rides on
a cushion of air over water or land at a height of 1.2m at a maximum speed of
40kt (74km/h). With a loading capacity of 50t, overall length of 27m, the LCAC
can load one Type 90 tank or over ten light vehicles, manned by a crew of 5 and
up to 24 JSDF troops.
The "Ohsumi" type of
vessel enables the efficient transport of JDS ground troops to strategic
locations, rescue of civilians in case of large scale natural disaster, and
potentially functions as a supply base for United Nations Peace Keeping
Operations. "Ohsumi Specifications Displacement: 8900t, Overall length: 178m,
Draft: 6m Breadth: 25.8m, Maximum Speed: 22kt (40km/h), Armaments: Close in
Weapon System x2, Chaff x 6, Main Engine: 2 Shaft Diesel Engine x 2 Maximum
Output: 27,000ps
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TS-32 - Haze Grey |
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X-11 - Chrome Silver |
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X-3 - Royal Blue |
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XF-1 - Flat Black |
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XF-2 - Flat White |
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XF-52 - Flat Earth |
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XF-53 - Neutral Grey |
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XF-58 - Olive Green |
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XF-66 - Light Grey |
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XF-7 - Flat Red |
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XF-9 - Hull Red |
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