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| Launch of JS Yahagi ( FFM-5 ) at MHI's Nagasaki Shipyard |
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ( JMSDF ) has launched its fifth Mogami-class multi-mission frigate at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki Shipyard this morning 23rd Jun 2022. The ship launching and naming ceremony was officiated by Deputy Defense Minister Iwamoto Tsuyohito ( 岩本剛人 ).
The frigate was named the Yahagi ( やはぎ ). Its namesake the Yahagigawa is a Class A river that flows from the Southern Alps of Nagano through Gifu and Aichi. This is in accordance with the usual JMSDF tradition of naming its destroyers and frigates after mountains, rivers, localities and natural or meteorological phenomenon.
It would be the third Japanese naval vessel bearing that name with the first being the Chikuma-class protected cruiser IJNS Yahagi ( 1911 ) and the other the Agano-class light cruiser IJNS Yahagi ( 1942 ).
In kanji characters Yahagi would be written as 矢矧 where 矢 means arrow and 矧 refers to the feather of the arrow.
You may watch the video of the launching ceremony courtesy of the JMSDF below :
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| Sacred silver ship launching axe |
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| Cord cutting with silver axe by Minister Iwamoto |
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| Launch of JS Yahagi ( FFM-5 ) |
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| Launch of JS Yahagi ( FFM-5 ) |
The Yahagi was launched when the deputy defense minister cut the cord with the sacred silver axe that is supposed to help ward off evil for the ship and its crew. A flurry of confetti and balloons were released and the band started playing the Warship March.
The cost of the 3900 ton frigate was estimated to be JPY43billion. After being launched, the Yahagi will undergo system integration and sea trials and will be commissioned sometime in December 2023. It is the fifth out of a total of 22 frigates in the plans which Japan is managing to adhere to, so far. Ganbatte JMSDF!
