Hayashio-class submarine
The Hayashio-class submarine was the successor to the, and the predecessor of the within the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Ordered in 1959, the boats were small with limited capabilities but were successful. Constructed in Japan from 1960 to 1962, they remained in service until 1979 when they were decommissioned.
Design and description
The Hayashio class was based on the United States Navy Barracuda-class submarines. They were small with limited capability and were shorter and wider than the preceding Japanese. The main mission of the class was for operations in coastal waters. They were air conditioned and provided quality habitability for their crews and were considered a successful submarine design. They measured long overall with a beam of and a draft of. They had a surfaced displacement of and submerged. Part of the design was to reduce hull resistance and to do this, external framing was used to improve internal space and create a better double hull. They had a crew of 43.The submarines were propelled by two propeller shafts powered by a diesel-electric system composed of two Sulzer-Mitsubishi diesel engines creating and two electric motors creating. The main storage batteries were water-cooled. This gave the vessels a maximum speed of surfaced and submerged. To improve underwater maneuverability, a joystick was installed instead of the traditional wheel at the helm position. The submarines mounted three torpedo tubes in the bow for torpedoes. The class used a water pressure system to launch torpedoes that eliminated the creation of water bubbles.