The following intelligence report on Japanese naval antiaircraft defenses was originally published in Tactical and Technical Trends, No. 8, Sept. 24, 1942. [DISCLAIMER: The following text is taken from the U.S. War Department publication Tactical and Technical Trends. As with all wartime intelligence information, data may be incomplete or inaccurate. No attempt has been made to update or correct the text. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the website.]

ANTIAIRCRAFT DEFENSES OF JAPANESE WARSHIPS Because land-based aviation is being called upon more and more frequently to operate against enemy naval units, information on the antiaircraft armament of Axis warships, as well as the number of planes they normally carry, is of interest to all air personnel. The following tables give the antiaircraft defenses of Japanese warships; those of German warships will be given in the next issue. For explanation of the symbols used in the following tables to designate the type of ship, see this publication, Issue No. 4, p. 25. The number of light antiaircraft guns listed may not always be accurate, since the number and position of these smaller weapons often vary. One of the standard machine guns is the .78-cal weapon, whose characteristics are given on the first table below; and generally, the caliber of weapons in this category is below 40 mm. Some machine guns are mounted for a 360° traverse and elevations up to 90°, while others are more limited. "X" before a ship designation indicates a converted model, while a prefixed "O" indicates an old model. "VO" stands for observation plane. CHARACTERISTICS OF JAPANESE NAVAL AA GUNS        5-in      4.7-in      3-in      .78-in* Maximum Elevation 85° 85° 85°   Maximum Horizontal Range 18,000 yds 21,000 yds  9,000 yds  5,470 yds Maximum Vertical Range 33,000 ft  25,000 ft  20,000 ft   3,289 ft  Muzzle Velocity  3,000 f/s  3,000 f/s  2,300 f/s -- Weight of Shell 60 lbs 45 lbs 13 lbs -- *The 20-mm Oerlikon AA machine gun has similar characteristics.    Type   Name   Tonnage   Length   (feet)   Speed   (knots)   Heavy AA     Disposition     Light AA  Aircraft   Kongo Class BB1 Kongo 29,330 704 26 8 5-in Broadside, concentrated amidships in twin mounts. 7 MG 3 VO BB2 Hiyei 29,330 704 18 4 5-in, 4 3-in  7 MG 3 VO BB3 Kirishima 29,330 704 26 8 5-in 7 MG 3 VO BB4 Haruna 29,330 704 26 8 5-in 7 MG 3 VO     Fuso Class BB5 Fuso 29,330 673 22 1/2 8 5-in Two twin mounts are elevated on tower base aft; location of others not indicated. 7 MG 3 VO BB6 Yamashiro 29,330 673 22 1/2 8 5-in 7 MG 3 VO     Ise Class BB7 Ise 29,990 683 23 8 5-in Broadside, on either side of foremast and aftermast. 7 MG 3 VO BB8 Hyuga 29,990 683 23 8 5-in 7 MG 3 VO     Nagato Class BB9 Nagato 32,720 700 26 8 5-in Broadside, in pairs amidship. 7 MG 3 VO BB10 Mutu 32,720 700 26 8 5-in 7 MG 3 VO     Yamato Class BB11 Yamato -- -- -- -- -- -- 3 VO   "Pocket Battleships"   CB1 Kishu 12 to 15,000 -- 30 12 5-in (?) -- -- -- CB2 ? 12 to 15,000 -- 30 12 5-in -- -- -- CB3 ? 12 to 15,000 -- 30 12 5-in -- -- -- CB4 Chichibu 12 to 15,000 -- 30 12 5-in -- -- -- CB5 "Job 8" 12 to 15,000 -- 30 12 5-in -- -- --   Aircraft Carriers   CV1 Hosho (Hosyo) 7,470 510 --  2 3-in -- 2 MG 36 CV4 Ryujo (Ryuzyo) 7,100 548 25 12 5-in -- 24 MG 32 CV7 Shokaku (Syokaku)  -- -- -- 16 6-in (?) -- 16 20-mm Oerlikon  63 CV8 Zuikaku 17,000 (est.)  800 30 16 5-in -- 16 20-mm Oerlikon 63 CV10 Kasuga -- -- -- 16 5-in (?) -- -- 45 XCV2 Zuiho -- -- --  4 5-in (?) -- 12 MG (?) 30   (New Construction) CV Kashiwara (May possibly be completed and named Junyo.) 60 (?) CV Izumo (May possibly be completed and named Hiyo.) 60 (?)   Cruisers (Light)     Tenryu Class CL1 Tenryu 3,230 468 31 1 3-in On stern. 2 MG None CL2 Tatsuta 3,230 468 31 1 3-in On stern. 2 MG None     Kuma Class CL3 Kuma 5,100 535 33 3 3-in Single mounts, one on either side of first stack, one on stern. 2 MG 1 VO CL4 Tama 5,100 535 33 3 3-in 2 MG 1 VO CL5 Kitagami 5,100 535 33 3 3-in 2 MG 1 VO CL6 Kiso 5,100 535 33 3 3-in 2 MG 1 VO CL7 Oi 5,100 535 33 3 3-in 2 MG 1 VO     Nagara Class* CL8 Nagara 5,170 535 33 3 3-in Probably same as in Kuma Class. 6 MG 1 VO CL9 Natori 5,170 535 33 3 3-in 6 MG 1 VO CL10 Kinu 5,170 535 33 3 3-in 6 MG 1 VO CL11 Yura 5,170 535 33 3 3-in 6 MG 1 VO CL12 Isuzo 5,170 535 33 3 3-in 6 MG 1 VO CL13 Abukuma 5,170 535 33 3 3-in 6 MG 1 VO     Sendai Class* CL15 Sendai 5,195 535 33 3 3-in One on either side of second funnel; third not indicated (possibly on stern). 6 MG 1 VO CL16 Jintsu (Zintu) 5,195 535 33 3 3-in 6 MG 1 VO CL17 Naka 5,195 535 33 3 3-in 6 MG 1 VO     Katori Class* CL18 Katori -- -- -- 2 5-in -- -- 1 VO CL19 Kashima -- -- -- 2 5-in -- -- 1 VO CL20 Kashii -- -- -- 2 5-in -- -- 1 VO     Hirado Class OCL1 Hirado -- -- -- 2 3-in -- 2 MG None OCL2 Yahagi -- -- -- 2 3-in -- 2 MG None   Seaplane Carriers   AV1 Notoro 14,050 470 12 2 3-in -- -- 8 to 16 VO AV2 Kamoi 17,000 496 15 2 3-in -- -- 10 to 16 VO AV3 Chitose (Titose)  9,000 577 1/2 20 6 5-in Mounted in pairs. 20 MG 20 VO AV4 Chiyoda (Tiyoda) 9,000 577 1/2 20 6 5-in Mounted in pairs. 20 MG 20 VO AV6 Nisshin -- -- -- 4 3-in -- -- 14 VO   XAV Kamikawa Maru 6,853 479 17 2 5-in -- 2 MG 10 VO XAV Fujikawa Maru -- -- -- 2 5-in -- 2 MG 10 VO XAV Souyou Maru -- -- -- 2 5-in -- 2 MG 10 VO XAV Kinugasa Maru 6,808 453 1/2  17 2 5-in -- 2 MG 10 VO XAV Kagu Maru 6,807 453 1/2 17 2 5-in -- 2 MG 10 VO XAV Kiyozumi Maru -- -- -- 2 5-in -- 2 MG 10 VO XAV Goshu Maru -- -- -- 2 5-in -- 2 MG 10 VO   Cruisers (Heavy)     Kako Class CA1 Hurutaka 7,100 580 33 4 4.7-in Broadside, amidship in single mounts. 10 MG 2 VO CA2 Kako 7,100 580 33 4 4.7-in 10 MG 2 VO CA3 Aoba 7,100 580 33 4 4.7-in 10 MG 2 VO CA4 Kinugasa 7,100 580 33 -- 10 MG 2 VO     Nachi Class CA5 Nachi (Nati) 10,000 640 33 8 4.7-in In twin mounts, broadside on either side of funnels. 8 47-mm 4 VO CA6 Haguro 10,000 640 33 8 4.7-in and 8 MG 4 VO CA7 Myoko 10,000 640 33 8 4.7-in -- 4 VO CA8 Ashigara 10,000 640 33 8 4.7-in -- 4 VO     Takao Class CA9 Takao 9,850 650 33 4 4.7 in Broadside in single mounts. 8 47-mm 4 VO CA10 Atago 9,850 650 33 4 4.7 in and 8 MG 4 VO CA11 Chokai 9,850 650 33 4 4.7 in -- 4 VO CA12 Maya 9,850 650 33 4 4.7 in -- 4 VO     Mogami Class CA15 Suauya 8,500 639 33 8 5-in The 5-in guns are in twin mounts on either side of funnel. 12 MG 4 VO CA16 Kumano 8,500 639 33 4 3-in 12 MG 4 VO     Coast Defense Ships (Old Heavy Cruisers)   OCA1 Asama -- -- -- 1 3-in -- -- -- OCA2 Yakumo 8,640 434 16 1 3-in -- 3 MG -- OCA3 Azuma (Aduma) 8,640 452 1/2 21 1 3-in -- 3 MG 1 VO OCA4 Izumo (Idumo) 9,180 434 16 1 3-in -- 3 MG 1 VO OCA5 Iwate 9,180 434 16 1 3-in -- 3 MG 1 VO OCA6 Kasuga 7,080 357 20 1 3-in -- 2 MG --   *One of these sunk.

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