Shirane-class destroyer

Kurama (DDH-144) at sea in 2011
Class overview
Name:	Shirane-class destroyer
Builders:	Ishikawajima-Harima, Tokyo
Operators:	Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
Preceded by:	Haruna-class destroyer
Succeeded by:	Hyūga-class helicopter destroyer
Built:	1977–1981
In commission:	1980–2017
Planned:	2
Completed:	2
Retired:	2
General characteristics
Type:	Destroyer
Displacement:	5,200 long tons (5,283 t) standard 7,500 long tons (7,620 t) full load
Length:	159 m (522 ft)
Beam:	17.5 m (57 ft 5 in)
Draft:	5.3 m (17 ft 5 in)
Propulsion:	2 × IHI boilers 850 psi (60 kg/cm², 5.9 MPa), 430 °C 2 × turbines 2 shafts 70,000 shp (52 MW)
Speed:	31 knots (36 mph; 57 km/h)
Complement:	350 360 (DDH-144) 20 staff
Sensors and processing systems:	OPS-12 3D Air-search radar OPS-28 surface-search radar OQS-101 bow sonar SQS-35/SQR-18 VDS-TASS
Electronic warfare & decoys:	NOLQ-1 integrated suite OLR-9B RWR Mark 36 SRBOC
Armament:	Sea Sparrow SAM launcher ASROC Mk 112 octuple launcher 2 × FMC 5"/54 caliber Mark 42 guns 2 × 20 mm Phalanx CIWS 2 × Mark 32 triple torpedo tubes (Mk-46 torpedoes)
Aircraft carried:	3 × SH-60J(K) anti-submarine helicopters

The Shirane-class destroyers were a pair of Japanese destroyers originally built during the late 1970s. They are built around a large central hangar which houses up to three helicopters and they are the natural successor of the Haruna-class destroyers.

The Shirane class incorporates an improved design based on the Haruna-class destroyers. The ships propulsion include two steam boilers with two shafts that produce 70.000 hp and gives a maximum speed of 32 knots.

Its armament includes two Mk.42 127mm guns, two 20-mm Phalanx close-in weapon systems, one Surface-to-air RIM-7 Sea Sparrow launcher, torpedoes and anti-submarine rockets. The ships has been replaced by the new Izumo-class helicopter destroyers.

On December 15, 2007, a fire broke out on board Shirane near the rudder house as it was anchored at Yokosuka. It took seven hours to extinguish the fire, which injured four crew members.

On 27 October 2009, JS Kurama collided with a South Korean container ship under the Kanmonkyo Bridge in the Kanmon Straits off the coast of Japan. While neither ship sunk, the bow of Kurama was badly damaged and burned for hours. Three Kurama crew members were reported injured.