Maya-class

Summary

Description

The Maya class guided-missile destroyers are an advanced addition to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, developed as an upgrade of the Atago class with improvements including an updated Aegis Combat System and a novel electric propulsion system. The first ship in the class, JS Maya, entered service on March 19, 2020, followed by its sister ship, JS Haguro, commissioned exactly a year later.

The origins of the Maya class root back to the previous Aegis-equipped Kongō and Atago classes starting in FY1988 and FY2002-2003, respectively. Despite the addition of these ships, the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces recognized the need for two more Aegis-equipped vessels to succeed the Hatakaze class, which led to the construction of the Maya class as part of the National Defense Program Guidelines for FY2014 and beyond.

Design-wise, the Maya class features a larger hull than its predecessors to accommodate a hybrid-electric propulsion system. This COGLAG propulsion is a step up from the Asahi class’s electric system and is capable of high voltage distributions, indicating a move towards fully integrated electric systems in future combatant vessels. The Maya class serves as a stepping stone in this technological shift.

The class is notably armed with the advanced Aegis Weapon System Baseline 9C, allowing for seamless integration with the Cooperative Engagement Capability system, enhancing the ships’ data-sharing capacity with other allied naval assets and aircraft. They are also equipped with Aegis BMD 5.1 for ballistic missile defense. In terms of weaponry, the Maya class is armed with SM-2MR Block IIIB and future SM-6 missiles capable of networked targeting, along with the anti-ballistic SM-3 Block IA, IB, and IIA missiles. Additional armaments comprise Type 17 and Type 90 ship-to-ship missiles, along with lightweight HOS-303 torpedoes. Plans to include more innovative defenses like railguns and laser systems are also in the works.

Operationally, the Maya class made history on November 2022 with both JS Maya and JS Haguro successfully intercepting targets outside the atmosphere using SM-3 Block IIA and IB missiles, respectively. This event underscored the ballistic missile defense capabilities of the class, validated by tests conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Missile Defense Agency at the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii.

These destroyers carry historical namesake connections with Maya being named after a Japanese World War II heavy cruiser and Haguro akin to a Myōkō-class heavy cruiser, bridging a connection to Japan's maritime past.

Technical specifications