Japan commissions replacement sub rescue ship
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) commissioned a new submarine rescue ship, JS Chiyoda (ASR-404), on 20 March.
Built by Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding, the 5,600t vessel will operate with Submarine Flotilla 2, which is based at Yokosuka near Tokyo.
The $504 million ship was launched in October 2016 and possesses a dry deck shelter and dynamic positioning system, it can deploy a deep submergence rescue vessel as well as remotely operated vehicles. The 128m-long ship has a beam of 5.2m and it can achieve a speed of 20kt via two 19,500hp diesel engines.
The ship directly replaces an eponymous
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