JS Chōkai (DDG-176) is a Kongō-class guided missile destroyer operated by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). Named after Mount Chōkai, the vessel was constructed by IHI Corporation in Tokyo, with her keel laid on May 29, 1995. She was launched on August 27, 1996, and officially commissioned into service on March 20, 1998. Following her commissioning, Chōkai underwent the Aegis System Equipment Qualification Test (SQT) in Hawaii, which lasted until November 4, 1998. She has participated in numerous joint exercises and missions, including US dispatch training with destroyers Hiei and Samidare in 2001, and with Kurama and Inazuma in 2007. In November 2004, Chōkai was deployed to the Indian Ocean alongside the destroyer Ōnami and supply ship Hamana to support the Japanese Iraq Reconstruction and Support Group, returning to Japan in March 2005. Chōkai was involved in ballistic missile defense testing from September to December 2008, including a notable interception test with the RIM-161 Standard Missile 3, which failed due to a malfunction in the warhead’s orbit and attitude control system. She also participated in disaster relief efforts following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. In 2012, Chōkai was part of a deployment with the US Navy in the vicinity of North Korea to monitor the launch of Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 Unit 2, but she was withdrawn when the satellite did not violate Japanese airspace. She took part in RIMPAC exercises around Hawaii in 2016, accompanied by the helicopter carrier Hyūga. In 2019, she participated in the Malabar naval exercise, engaging in various combat and training drills, and joined a joint exercise with the Canadian Navy near Yokosuka. As of April 2020, Chōkai is based in Sasebo. It has been announced that she is expected to become capable of launching Tomahawk missiles by March 2026, enhancing her strategic capabilities. The vessel remains a key component of Japan’s maritime defense and international naval cooperation efforts.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.