The very first JMSDF OYASHIO program submarine premiered in 1998. 9 submarines finished up being taking solution in JMSDF till 2006. Two even more of the course are building or on purchase, because of the tenth planned to repayment in 2007. The 268-foot submarines carry 20 torpedoes or UGM-84C Harpoon missiles, unlike the 3 previous Japanese submarine classes, have in fact bow-mounted torpedo pipes and conformal sonar arrays.