On April 7, the Maritime Self-Defense Force Hatsuyuki-class destroyer No. 9 "Matsuyuki" (DD130) was officially decommissioned at Maizuru Base. Before retiring, The Pine Snow had been idle in the 14th Guard for many years, mainly serving as a second-line task such as anti-submarine and vigilance. In addition, the 12th ship Shimayuki (DD133, later changed to the training ship TV-3513) was decommissioned on March 19. At present, only the No. 10 ship of the Hatsuyuki class, the Seto Yuki, is still exerting its residual heat as a training ship (TV-3518), and it is estimated that the retirement will be fast.
The Hatsuyuki class is a general-purpose destroyer that has had a profound impact on the development of the sea. At the end of the 1970s, Haizi proposed in the fourth national defense construction plan that large anti-submarine ships should be developed in the direction of "generalization and multi-functionality" to replace the decommissioned Chunfeng-class, Ayana-class and other chaotic destroyers, so the Hatsuyuki class born had more advanced equipment and comprehensive combat capabilities.
The first ship, Hatsuyuki, was launched in November 1980 and commissioned in March 1982. What is the level of the first snow class, which can be compared horizontally, at that time, less than a month after the outbreak of the Falklands War, the Flying Fish anti-ship missile had not yet appeared. The main force of our navy is still the Type 051, only the "SeaHawk" anti-ship missile, air defense and anti-submarine capability is almost zero. The First Snow class is the Sea Sparrow + Harpoon + Asloc + Neptune anti-submarine helicopter, which integrates the most advanced technologies of anti-ship, air defense and anti-submarine, which is almost unattainable for us.
Starting with the Hatsuyuki class, Haizi's destroyers entered the era of full combustion. The first snow class adopts an all-fuel alternating power system imported from Rolls-Royce (authorized to be produced by Kawasaki Heavy Industries) in the United Kingdom, and two smaller Tyne RM-1C gas turbines and two larger Olympus TM-3B gas turbines are divided into two units, each unit is 1 RM-1C and 1 TM-3B, rm-1C is used for cruising, and TM-3B is used for high-speed sailing.
Here we have to mention the road of full combustion development of Haizi. The combination of the above RM-1C and TM-3B was first applied to the Type 21 frigate, Japan also introduced the system and obtained the patent of TM-3B, the later introduction of the "Spey" SM-1A and SM-1C belong to the second generation, and the better performance LM2500 was imported from the United States. But Japan has never abandoned the british Luo luo's technical route, and has been constantly improving, until now, the Akizuki class is still using the Spy gas turbine, and the United States can not jam the neck of Japan in terms of gas turbines.
And we and Japan almost at the same time began to develop gas turbines, in the introduction of TM-3B patent when the misheard the United States rumors, abandoned the TM-3B, just introduced LM2500 was embargoed, the Navy once fell into the embarrassing situation of inorganic ships, wait until the domestic ship gas engine matured on the ship, it was already about 2010, 30 years slower than Japan. From this point of view, Haizi's implementation of the "walk on two legs" policy is much better than ours.
Of course, there are many problems in the first snow level. Four gas turbines and a reduction gearbox are concentrated in one engine compartment, and the possibility of all the power systems being paralyzed in the event of war damage is high. Due to the small hull and the full load displacement of only 4200 tons, the arrangement of shipboard weapons is relatively cramped. Harpoon anti-ship missile launchers are placed on platforms built on either side of the chimney, and underneath this platform are torpedo tubes, which look like illegal buildings. Two dense array rapid-fire guns were placed on either side of the rear of the bridge, which would cause shooting dead ends in the direction of the bow and stern. The aft flight deck is one level higher than the Rear Sparrow anti-aircraft missile launcher, so the Sea Sparrow's firing range is also affected to some extent.
Overall, although the design of the Hatsuyuki class is still some flawed, it is undeniable that this type of ship, as the first type of general destroyer of the sea, has achieved full combustion drive on the 4,000-ton platform, and the air defense, anti-ship, and anti-submarine missiles are on the ship at the same time, and the combat effectiveness at that time is first-class, even if we are nearly ten years later than the 052 type. Moreover, when Japan built the First Snow Class, the economic situation was very good, and mitsubishi Nagasaki, Sumitomo Uraga, Ishikawajima Harima Heavy Industries, Hitachi Maizuru, and Mitsui Tamano built a total of 12 ships in five years, creating a record for the highest number of ships in the sea.
"World Ships" magazine once published a family photo of the First Snow class, except for the Island Snow to participate in the ocean-going sailing training, the other 11 ships all arrived, lined up to break the waves, which should be the most glorious moment in the life of the First Snow Class. Now, the first snow level is about to completely withdraw from the stage of history, followed by the morning fog level, and in a few years, we will usher in a powerful opponent - the highest level.
Attached: Ships of this class
DD-122 First Snow (Hatsuki Hatsuyuki);
DD-123 Snow White (Shirayuki Shirayuki);
DD-124 Mineyuki;
DD-125 Snow (Sawayuki Sawayuki);
DD-126 Snow (Hamayuki);
DD-127 Snow (Isoyuki Isoyuki);
DD-128 Spring Snow (Haruyuki Haruyuki);
DD-129 Mountain Snow (1170 Yamayuki);
DD-130 Matsuyuki (Matsuyuki Matsuyuki);
DD-131 濑户 户 户濑 Setoyuki);
DD-132 Morning Snow (Asayuki Asayuki);
DD-133 Shimayuki Shimmayuki.