Armament was a mix of projectile- and missile-based technologies. There was a 76mm OTO-Breda turreted deck gun over the forecastle and 2 x Harpoon anti-ship missile launchers in 4-cell installations. The Mark 29 launcher served the Sea Sparrow missiles. An ASROC (Anti-Submarine ROCket) launcher countered submarine threats to an extent and close-in defense from aerial attack was made possible by 2 x 20mm Phalanx Gatling-style gun platforms (added to the class across a 1982-1996 revision). Like other JMSDF warships, the Hatsuyuki was equipped with 2 x 324mm HOS-301 triple torpedo tubes.
To further accentuate the offensive capabilities of the class, a flight deck was added over the stern. This was used in supporting a single Sikorsky SH-60J(K) Seahawk naval helicopter equipped for the Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) role. In addition to hunting submarines, the helicopter could also be used as a spotting platform, reconnaissance platform or a general eyes-in-the-skies platform. Indeed the primary role of the Hatsuyuki-class was submarine hunting. The addition of a helipad also made the class the first JMSDF warship to be able to field an ASW-minded helicopter.
In profile, the maindeck ran unbroken from the bow to the stern. The 76mm turreted deck gun was seated overlooking the bow with good firing angles about the hull. The bridge superstructure was aft of the ASROC launcher unit and also supported the lattice-style main mast. The mast contained the various systems including the radar antenna and was closely defended by the twin CIWS installations. The low profile smoke funnels sat at midships with the secondary hull superstructure fitted aft. The fire control radome was atop this structure. The flight deck was sat over the main deck at the stern with a quarter deck section mounting the Sea Sparrow unit.
Hatsuyuki's sisters were commissioned from 1982 into 1987 and DD-122, DD-123, DD-124, DD-125, DD-126, DD-127 and DD-128 were all decommissioned from 2010 to 2014. DD-129, DD-130, DD-131, DD-132 and DD-133 all remain in active service as of this writing (December 2017).
DD-123, DD-129, DD-131, and DD-133 were all revised to become training vessels at various times and these were given new hull numbers of TV-3517, TV-3519, TV-3518 and TV-3513 respectively. This meant a classroom and other modifications made to the base design to fit the role.
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