[Coming Soon] JDS Asagiri: The Japanese Multirole Destroyer

Historical note

Asagiri-class destroyers were the second generation of multirole destroyers for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), evolving from the preceding Hatsuyuki class. The lead ship of the class, JDS Asagiri, was laid down on February 13th, 1985, launched on September 19th, 1986, at the IHI Corporation shipyard in Tokyo, and commissioned on March 17, 1988. In 2005, the ship was reclassified as a training vessel and used for cadet training on instructional cruises.

In March 2012, its status as an escort ship was restored, and it joined the 14th Escort Flotilla with its home port in Maizuru. In 2019, Asagiri was deployed on a mission in the Arabian Sea and off the coast of Somalia. Following this, it made a port call to Muscat, Oman, where it conducted joint exercises with the Omani patrol vessel Al Seeb. On its return journey to Japan, the destroyer also held exercises with the Philippine corvette BRP Emilio Jacinto. According to current plans, the destroyer Asagiri is scheduled to be decommissioned in early 2026.

JDS Asagiri (Rank VI)

Brief Analysis

• Strengths: Powerful and versatile armament, including three types of guided missiles, an autocannon and torpedoes.
• Weaknesses: Average mobility.
• Opportunities: An effective damage-dealer for any tactic, particularly strong in defense.

In battle

A new Japanese missile destroyer, JDS Asagiri, will soon surprise future commanders with its substantial arsenal and high adaptability to any tactic and combat situation. This high-rank multirole vessel will arrive in War Thunder Mobile with the first seasonal update of 2026!

JDS Asagiri is equipped with three types of guided weapons:

• Harpoon anti-ship missiles – the primary weapon for engaging surface targets.
• RIM surface-to-air missiles – effective against aerial threats and also usable against surface targets.
• ASROC anti-submarine rockets – designed specifically to hunt elusive submarines.

The ship's artillery is represented by the well-known OTO Melara 76 mm automatic cannon, familiar to many captains. Finally, for close-quarters combat, two triple-tube 324 mm torpedo launchers are mounted on the destroyer's sides.

Thanks to its versatile armament, JDS Asagiri boasts a high degree of versatility and adaptability to any in-game scenario. The only limitation for a captain is the ship's unexceptional mobility. While not particularly slow, its top speed may be insufficient for rapid flanking maneuvers and swift breakthroughs.

Commanders of the JDS Asagiri would be wise to stay near allies who can help protect this not-so-durable destroyer from focused fire. When playing solo, make use of cover and remember to employ smoke screens and countermeasures (ECM). JDS Asagiri is capable of dealing tremendous damage, provided it avoids taking several concentrated salvos of missiles or torpedoes.

Premium version of the JDS Asagiri (Rank VI)

In the Ship Campaign, only one ship can be taken into battle. Because of this, the Premium version of any ship is not a separate unit, but it completely replaces the standard “gray” version. After obtaining the premium version, the blueprints for the standard version of the ship will disappear from the store and trophies, and the ship itself will become unavailable in trophies and jackpots.

Differences between the Premium and Standard versions:

• the ability to get gold after a battle, according to the daily limit;
• unique premium camouflage;
• fully unlocked upgrades in the Arsenal;
• the ship gets the maximum crew level immediately.

*Vehicle specifications and camouflages are still work in progress and may differ on release.

The JDS Asagiri (Rank VI) can be obtained in War Thunder Mobile (WTM) from Medium or Big Trophies in the Ship Campaign with the start of the new Season.