Asashio-class destroyer

Asashio underway in July 1937.
Class overview
Name:	Asashio class
Operators:	Imperial Japanese Navy
Preceded by:	Shiratsuyu class
Succeeded by:	Kagerō class
Built:	1937–1939
In commission:	1939–1945
Completed:	10
Lost:	10
General characteristics
Type:	Destroyer
Displacement:	2,370 long tons (2,408 t)
Length:	111 m (364 ft) pp 115 m (377 ft 4 in)waterline 118.3 m (388 ft 1 in) OA
Beam:	10.3 m (33 ft 10 in)
Draft:	3.7 m (12 ft 2 in)
Propulsion:	2-shaft geared turbine, 3 boilers, 50,000 shp (37,285 kW)
Speed:	35 knots (40 mph; 65 km/h)
Range:	5,700 nmi (10,600 km) at 15 kn (28 km/h) 960 nmi (1,780 km) at 34 kn (63 km/h)
Complement:	200
Armament:	6 × Type 3 127 mm 50 caliber naval guns (3 × 2) up to 28 × Type 96 AA guns up to 4 × Type 93 AA guns 8 × 610 mm (24 in) torpedo tubes (2 × 4) 16 × Type 93 torpedoes 36 × depth charges

The Asashio-class destroyers (朝潮型駆逐艦^?, Asashio-gata kuchikukan) were a class of ten destroyers of the Imperial Japanese Navy in service before and during World War II.

The Imperial Japanese Navy was not entirely satisfied with the performance of the Shiratsuyu-class destroyer, particularly in terms of operational range and speed. However, given the limitations of the 1930 London Naval Treaty, it was considered impossible to modify these vessels any further to improve their specifications. This obstacle was removed after the Japanese government allowed the treaty to expire without renewal. The final four vessels of a projected 14 destroyers in the Shiratsuyu class were cancelled, and the larger new Asashio-class vessels were approved under the Maru-2 Supplementary Naval Expansion budget of 1934, with construction spanning 1935-1936. All ten vessels were lost in the Pacific War.

The Asashio class was the first Japanese destroyer class to exceed 2,000 tons displacement and the first to be equipped with sonar. Early critical issues with the Asashio class included the reliability of their new steam turbines engines, and issues with the design of their rudder, which were addressed by the start of the Pacific War.

In terms of armament, the Asashio class was similar to the previous Fubuki and Hatsuharu classes, but with twin mount 5-inch guns like the Fubukis instead of having a single mount like the Hatsuharus. The guns were mounted in Type C gun turrets capable of 55-degree elevation. Also, the position of the "X" turret at the shelter deck level forward of the quarterdeck "Y" turret, gave the Asashio class a different silhouette than the Shiratsuyu class, where both turrets were at quarterdeck level. The torpedo armament of eight 24-inch torpedo in two quadruple launchers was retained, with the torpedo reloads stored in a deckhouse on the centerline. This design became the basic plan for all future destroyers in the Japanese navy.