Sunosaki-class combat support ship

Class overview
Sunosaki in 1943
Name:	Sunosaki-class combat support ship
Builders:	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Operators:	Imperial Japanese Navy
Built:	1942–1943
In commission:	1943–1944
Planned:	5
Completed:	2
Cancelled:	3
Lost:	2
General characteristics
Displacement:	4,465 long tons (4,537 t) standard
Length:	108.5 m (356 ft 0 in) overall
Beam:	15.0 m (49 ft 3 in)
Draught:	5.0 m (16 ft 5 in)
Propulsion:	2 × MAN Mk.4 diesels 2 shafts, 4,500 bhp
Speed:	16 knots (18 mph; 30 km/h)
Range:	4,000 nmi (7,400 km) at 14 kn (16 mph; 26 km/h)
Capacity:	1,080 tons for gasoline 440 tons for ammunitions and food
Complement:	161
Armament:	Sunosaki, 1943 2 × 120 mm (4.7 in) L/45 AA gun 4 × Type 96 25mm AA guns

The Sunosaki-class combat support ship (洲埼型給油艦, Sunosaki-gata kyūyukan) was a class of two support ships of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), serving during World War II.

Construction

In 1939, the IJN planned two support ship classes to help their aircraft carriers. One was the 8,000-ton Ashizuri class, the other one the 4,500 ton Sunosaki class. The Sunosaki was planned to support for two medium-sized carriers (Sōryū and Hiryū) in the battlefield. The thought is the same as USS Sacramento.

Service

The Sunosaki class was unable to support Japan's carrier task force, because their commissions were delayed. They sailed between the Japanese mainland and Southeast Asia, and were lost before participating in a naval battle.

Ships in class

Ship #	Ship	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Completed	Fate
103	Sunosaki (洲埼)	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Yokohama Shipyard	25-03-1942	28-12-1942	15-05-1943	Burned by air raid at Manila Bay 21-09-1944. Scuttled 04-10-1944.
233	Takasaki (高崎)	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Yokohama Shipyard	16-07-1942	03-05-1943	02-09-1943	Sunk by USS Puffer at Sulu Sea 06°33′N 122°55′E / 6.550°N 122.917°E / 6.550; 122.917 05-06-1944.
234	Tsurugizaki (剣埼)					Cancelled on 05-05-1944.
235	Kōzaki (神埼)
236	Hijirizaki (聖埼) or Toyosaki (豊埼)

References

"Rekishi Gunzō". , History of Pacific War Vol.62 "Ships of The Imperial Japanese Forces, Gakken (Japan), January 2008, ISBN 978-4-05-605008-0
Ships of the World special issue Vol.47, Auxiliary Vessels of the Imperial Japanese Navy, "Kaijinsha". , (Japan), March 1997

Japanese auxiliary ship classes of World War II

Colliers and oilers	Notoro Ondo Sunosaki Ashizuri Kazahaya^S Hayasui^S Hario^S Muroto Teiyō Maru^S Ōse (ex-Dutch tanker Genota)^SC

Food supply ships	Mamiya^S Nosaki^S Kinesaki Irako^S Kurasaki^SC

Landing ships	No.1 No.101 Shinshū Maru^S (Army) SS (Army)

Armed merchant cruisers	Aikoku Maru^S Kongō Maru^S Noshiro Maru^S

Minelayers and cable layer	Tokiwa^SC Itsukushima^S Yaeyama^S Okinoshima^S Tsugaru^S Minoo^SC Shirataka^S Hatsutaka Tsubame Natsushima (1933) Sokuten (1938) Hirashima Ajiro^S Kamishima Hashima Sokuten (1913) Aux. No.1 Aux. No.101 (ex-HMS Barlight)^SC

Minesweepers	No.1 (1923) No.5 (1928) No.13 No.17 No.7 (1938) No.19 No.101 (ex-HMS Taitam and HMS Waglan)^C Aux. No.1 Aux. No.101 (ex-HNLMS DEFG-class) Aux. No.104 (ex-HNLMS DEFG-class)

Patrol boats	No.1^C No.31^C No.46^SC No.101 (ex-HMS Thracian)^SC No.102 (ex-USS Stewart)^SC No.103 (ex-USS Finch)^SC No.104 (ex-Dutch East Indies Valk and Arend)^C No.105 (ex-Philippine customs Arayat)^SC No.106 (ex-HNLMS Banckert)^SCI No.107 (ex-USS Genesee)^SC No.109 (ex-Dutch East Indies Fazant)^SC Aux. No.1

Repair ships	Asahi^SC Akashi^S Hayase (ex-Chinese passenger Chin Kiang)^SC Hitonose (ex-ROCN Min Sheng)^SC

Seaplane tenders	Notoro Kamoi^SC Chitose Mizuho^S Nisshin^S Akitsushima^S Kamikawa Maru

Submarine chasers	No.1 No.3^S No.4 No.13 No.28 No.60 Aux. No.1 Aux. No.101 (ex-HNLMS Tjerimai)^SC Aux. No.102 (ex-HNLMS Ardjoeno class)^C Aux. No.103 (ex-HNLMS B1 class)^C Aux. No.111 (ex-HNLMS P13 or P14)^SC Aux. No.112 (ex-HNLMS A class)^C Aux. No.117 (ex-HNLMS Bantam)^C Aux. No.251 Aux. No.253^S

Submarine tenders	Komahashi^SC Jingei Taigei^S

Survey ships	Tsukushi^S Katsuriki^SC Hakusa (ex-China customs Fu Hsing)^SC

Target ships	Settsu^SC Yakaze^SC Hakachi^S Ōhama^S

Training ships	Fuji^SC Shikishima^SC Asama^SC Azuma^SC Kasuga^SC Atada (ex-ROCN Yat Sen)^SC

Others	Sōya (freighter)^SC Kashino (turret transporter)^S Ōtomari (icebreaker)^S Tategami (salvage tug) Kasashima (salvage tug) Miura (salvage tug) Kaiyō No.1 (oceanographic research ship) Asuka (traffic ship, ex-ROCN Yung Chien)^SC

S Single ship of class C Converted to ship type I Incomplete until the end of war

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