Atago
by Nektarios Koufopoulos

1/700 JMSDF Atago DDG-177 (PitRoad)

Some photos of Pitroad DDG-177 Atago that belongs, with its sistership Ashigara, to the latest generation of AAW warships. It was commissioned on March 15 2007 and belongs to the 3rd escort flotilla homeported at Maizuru

The Atago class destroyers are an improved version of Kongo-class destroyers incorporating an aft helicopter hangar and the AN/SQQ-89 underwater warfare system. Atago-class destroyers are provided with a large aft flight deck and hangar allowing for operation of two anti-submarine warfare (ASW) or patrol helicopters.

The Atago class destroyers integrate the complete AEGIS-weapon system including a 90-cell (1x61-cell and 1x29-cell) Mk 41 strike length vertical launching system (VLS) and four AN/SPY-1D multifunction radar antennas. The Standard SM-2 Block IIIA surface-to-air missiles are intended to engage airborne threats. RGM-84 Harpoon and VLA (Vertical Launch ASROC) are intended to engage ships and submarines respectively. The weapon system also includes a 5-inch (127mm) naval gun with reduced radar cross section, two 20mm Phalanx close-in weapon systems and two tripe 12.75-in torpedo tubes.

The construction of the model presented no problems. I added GMM PE from the USN/JMSDF set.