Powerful Japanese ‘Blue Dragon’ stealth submarine fleet

Soryu class submarine maneuvers on the sea surface.

The Japanese Navy has a modest amount of weapons but is very powerful, notably the Soyru (Blue Dragon) class diesel-electric submarine fleet, one of the most modern types of submarines in the world today.

After World War II, Tokyo was allowed to own a maximum of 22 submarines in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).

Japan does not develop submarines in the direction of complete innovation after each generation.

With a displacement of 4,200 tons when submerged, Soyru is the largest submarine class built by Japan since World War II.

The X-shaped tail helps increase maneuverability in shallow waters.

Soyru-class submarines are equipped with a series of sensors, the main one being the Hughes/Oki ZQQ-7 sonar complex, with a nose sonar, 4 side sonar clusters and a tail sonar to

The main weapon of the Soyru class is six 533 mm torpedo tubes, allowing the use of heavy Type-89 torpedoes with a range of 50 km, as well as anti-ship cruise missiles launched from UGM-84 Harpoon and submarines.

The entire outer shell of the submarine is covered with rubber material that absorbs sound waves, suppresses the ship’s noise and reduces sound wave reflection from the enemy’s active sonar.

Soryu class submarine maneuvers at sea.

The engine is the most prominent element of the Soyru class.

The combination of stealth, modern sensors and powerful weapons has turned Soyru-class submarines into Japan’s dangerous undersea assassins.