Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ (MHI) Maritime Systems has launched the fourth vessel in the Hibiki-class of auxiliary ocean surveillance ships, designed for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).
The launch and naming ceremony took place on 17 February 2025, at the Tamano Shipyard, with the ship being christened Bingo, according to JMSDF’s post on social media platform X.
The post stated: “Today, the naming and launching ceremony for the FY 2022 acoustic measurement vessel was held at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Maritime Systems Co, Tamano Head Office Plant, and the vessel was named 'Bingo'. The name of the acoustic measurement vessel was chosen from the name of the bay and is derived from the Bingonada Sea.”
Bingo is scheduled to undergo outfitting, which includes the completion of the hull, engine, and electrical systems, before being delivered to Japan’s Ministry of Defence within the year.
The third Hibiki-class ship, JS Aki, joined the JMSDF fleet in 2021, following its naming ceremony and launch by Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding in 2020.
The Aki, bearing the pennant number AOS 5203, was also constructed at the Tamano facilities in Okayama Prefecture.
The first and second vessels of the class are named Hibiki and Harima, respectively.
These Hibiki-class ships feature a small-waterplane-area twin-hull (SWATH) design and a full surveillance towed-array sensor system.
The vessels measure 67m in length and 29.9m in width, with a full load displacement of 3,861 million tonnes and a top speed of 11 knots.
According to a report by GlobalData titled 'Japan Defense Market 2024-2029', the East Asian country's defence budget is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.8% over 2025-2029.
The defence budget for 2024 reached $72.3bn, marking a CAGR of 11.1% during 2020-2024.
