TOKYO, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The newest destroyer equipped with Aegis in Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) was launched on Wednesday at a shipyard in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo, local media reported.
At a launching ceremony in Yokohama, the ship, named "Haguro," is scheduled to go into service around March 2021.
Once the new destroyer goes into service, Japan will have eight Aegis destroyers with the ability to defend against ballistic missiles. Maya, the same type as the Haguro, will be put into commission in March 2020.
Built by Japan Marine United Corp., the Haguro is an 8,200-ton vessel measuring 170 meters in length and 21 meters in maximum width.
It is equipped with the Cooperative Engagement Capability system which is capable of detecting the positions of missiles and airplanes.
According to the MSDF, building the ship costs about 173.4 billion yen (1.6 billion U.S. dollars).
