Mitsubishi Shipbuilding has inaugurated the JS Yashima (PLH-46) large patrol vessel for the Japan Coast Guard at its Shimonoseki Shipyard Enoura Plant in Yamaguchi Prefecture.
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding has inaugurated the JS Yashima (PLH-46) large patrol vessel for the Japan Coast Guard at its Shimonoseki Shipyard Enoura Plant in Yamaguchi Prefecture.
Construction of the 134-meter (440-foot) ship was initiated under a fiscal 2023 supplementary budget worth approximately 19.6 billion yen ($124.5 million).
Local media reported that the platform is a second-generation Mizuho-class patrol system that will replace the original 1988-commissioned JS Yashima (PLH-22), whose severe hull deterioration forced an early retirement.
The new ship inherits its name from “Yashima no Kuni,” an ancient poetic term for Japan.
Handover by 2027
Built for speeds exceeding 25 knots (46 kilometers/29 miles per hour), the PLH-46 features a flight deck and hangar for two medium helicopters similar to the Bell 412 or Sikorsky S-76D.
The vessel is designed to counter maritime crime and conduct rescues across austere domains, and is armed with 40mm and 20mm machine guns and remote-controlled water cannons.
Following its full outfitting of hull, engines, electronics, and weaponry, the platform is expected to be delivered next year.
Underscoring its mission, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding noted that it “will continue to leverage its development and design capabilities in the marine sector to contribute to the advancement of society through the construction of vessels that enhance maritime security capabilities.”
