![]() The American influence in Japanese warships is apparent - indeed the JS Atago takes on a similar form and function to the United States Navy's Arleigh Burke-class of guided missile destroyers. The turreted deck gun was also addressed through better engagement range and inherent firepower. JS Atago was completed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and maintains an active presence in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) inventory.Ĭompared to the Kongo-class they followed, the Atago-class destroyers improved helicopter functions by adding an onboard hangar and were given additional decks at the bridge superstructure (raising the bridge some). The class succeeded the still-capable Kongo-class (four ships) and were built from 2004 to 2008. The Atago-class guided missile destroyers were taken into service in the 2000s and currently (2016) number two warships - JS Atago (DDG-177) as the lead and JS Ashigara (DDG-178) as her sister. Japan owns one of the top defense budgets in the world and, due to the importance of its geographic location concerning trade and the rise in tensions with its regional neighbors, is forced to field an advanced naval fleet. ![]()
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