- Ships in the class
- See also
- References
- Future reading
{{Infobox ship image| Ship image= Japan Coast Guard Patrol Vessel Small PS202 Hotaka.jpg | Ship caption= Hotaka (PS-202)
}}{{Infobox ship class overview | Name=Tsurugi class | Builders= Hitachi Zosen Corporation, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding | Operators= Japan Coast Guard | Class before= | Class after= | Built range=2000–2005 | In commission range=2001–Present | Total ships planned=15 | Total ships completed=6 | Total ships cancelled=9 | Total ships active=6 | Total ships lost= | Total ships retired= | Total ships preserved=
}}{{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header= | Header caption= | Ship type=Patrol vessels, small (PS) | Ship tonnage= 220 GT | 50.0|m|ft|abbr=on}} | 8.0|m|ft|abbr=on}} | 4|m|ft|abbr=on}} | Ship propulsion=*3 × Waterjets | Ship speed=50+ knots | Ship range= | Ship complement= | Ship armament=1 × JM61 20mm gun with RFS | Ship armour= | Ship notes=
}} | The Tsurugi-class ({{lang-ja|つるぎ型巡視船}}) is a class of small patrol vessel of the Japan Coast Guard (JCG). The development of this class was one of the earliest attempts of the JCG to deal with spy boats from North Korea. In March 1999, the JCG tried to intercept vessels of unknown nationality suspected to be North Korean, but the unknown vessels were too fast, and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force had to be called to intercept the unknown vessels. As a consequence of this failure, JCG realized their need for high speed interceptors.[1] The Tsurugi-class is referred to as {{nihongo|High-speed, special-purpose patrol vessels|高速特殊警備船|Koutoku-sen}}. Planned as the top-tier of JCG intercept spy boats, this class features very high speed and accurate firepower. Its weaponry includes a JM61 20 mm Gatling gun, and a Remote Firing System consisting of a remote weapon system with a laser-optical fire-control system.[2] In the Battle of Amami-Ōshima, the combination of the 20 mm gun with the RFS proved its worth, but it became clear that its effective range was insufficient against weapons on board the North Korean spy boats such as 9K38 Igla MANPADS and B-10 recoilless rifle. In response, the JCG intends to organize mobile flotillas combining Tsurugi-class with vessels of the {{sclass-|Hida|patrol vessel|0}} and the {{sclass-|Aso|patrol vessel|0}}, which have Bofors 40 mm L/70 autocannons.[3] Ships in the class Ships in the class| Pennant Number | Ship Name | Builder | Commission | Decommission | Homeport | | PS201 | Tsurugi | Hitachi Zosen Corporation | 15 February 2001 | Sakata | | PS202 | Hotaka | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries | 16 March 2001 | Maizuru | | PS203 | Hakusan | Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding | Kanazawa | | PS204 | Kaimon | 21 April 2004 | Naze | | PS205 | Asama | Hamada | | PS206 | Howo | 17 January 2005 | Nagasaki | See also- List of Japan Coast Guard vessels and aircraft
References1. ^Yoshifumi Mayama 2008, p142.
2. ^Shigehiro Sakamoto 2008, p134.
3. ^Shigehiro Sakamoto 2008, p135.
Future reading- {{Cite journal|date=July 2008|title=Ships of Japan Coast Guard|journal=Ships of the World|issue=692|pages=51|publisher=Kaijinn-sha|language=Japanese}}
- {{Cite journal|author=Shigehiro Sakamoto|date=July 2008|title=60th Anniversary of JCG: For near future|journal=Ships of the World|issue=692|pages=132–137|publisher=Kaijinn-sha|language=Japanese}}
- {{Cite journal|author=Yoshifumi Mayama|date=July 2008|title=60th Anniversary of JCG: Technical history of its ship|journal=Ships of the World|issue=692|pages=138–143|publisher=Kaijinn-sha|language=Japanese}}
{{Commons category|Tsurugi-class patrol vessels}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Tsurugi Class Patrol Vessel}} 2 : Japan Coast Guard|Patrol boat classes |