Initial JMSDF OYASHIO class submarine was launched in 1998. 9 submarines ended up being taking solution in JMSDF till 2006. Two a lot more of the course are building or on order, with all the tenth planned to commission in 2007. The 268-foot submarines carry 20 torpedoes or UGM-84C Harpoon missiles, unlike the 3 previous Japanese submarine classes, have bow-mounted torpedo pipes and conformal sonar arrays.
