Japan Navy JS Raigei Commissioned

JS Raigei was commissioned into the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force at Kawasaki Heavy Industries' Kobe yard on 6 March 2025, the fourth boat of the Taigei class. Her keel was laid in March 2021 and she was launched in October 2023. The 3,000-tonne diesel-electric design uses lithium-ion batteries in place of lead-acid cells and air-independent propulsion, giving extended submerged endurance, and carries Type 18 torpedoes and sub-launched anti-ship missiles. The class forms the backbone of Japan's expanding submarine force amid growing Chinese naval activity in the region.