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15-647: The model numbers of the Maritime Self-Defense Force's electronic devices, including this machine, are generally based on the naming rules for military electronic devices of the U.S. military. It is for radar mounted on surface vessels, for detection / distance direction measurement / search. The National Safety Agency's Coastal Security Force obtained the AN/SPS-5B radar as equipment for the Bluebird-class minesweeper ( Yashima-class minesweeper ) provided by

30-692: A school ship for the Mine Warfare School. In January 1961, Bluebird began making regular periodic deployments to the West Indies serving under the auspices of the Commander, Fleet Training Group, Guantanamo Bay. It was on one of those deployments that, during the summer of 1965, she earned the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for her role in the American intervention to restore order in

45-511: A wooden construction with brass and stainless steel fittings to reduce magnetic attraction. The rated displacement was 330 long tons (340 t) light and 390 long tons (400 t) at full load, though the ships of the Redwing class show a displacement of 412 long tons (419 t) and the Albatross class show a displacement of 320 long tons (330 t). They were 138 ft (42 m) between

60-576: A year. On 7 February 1955, Bluebird was reclassified a coastal minesweeper and redesignated MSC-121 . During the summer and fall of 1955, she participated in two Bureau of Ships projects. The first tested the effects of underwater explosions on minesweeper hulls and equipment. The second consisted of an overall evaluation of the Bluebird -class minesweeper. Later that fall, she joined in LantPhibEx 1-55 off Onslow Beach , North Carolina. Early in 1956, she

75-753: The United States in the 1958 plan. In Japan, the OPS-3 was developed based on this AN/SPS-5, and started to be installed on the JDS Akebono , the first domestic guard ship for the National Safety Agency guards, and the Ikazuchi-class destroyer escort . The subsequently developed OPS-5 was installed on the first Akizuki-class destroyer . In the 1960s, the OPS-16 radar was developed as the second generation based on

90-676: The United States Navy throughout the 1950s and 1960s, even as late as 1978. Most were loaned to foreign countries under the Military Defense Assistance Pact , with only 24 actually commissioned by the US Navy, with 13 of those eventually being transferred to foreign nations as well. Initially classified as auxiliary motor minesweepers (AMS), on 7 February 1955, they were reclassified as coastal minesweepers (minesweeper, coastal) (MSC). The Adjutant -class minesweepers were of

105-554: The OPS-3 and OPS-5. These used slightly higher frequencies and had enhanced ECCM properties. It has undergone a minor upgrade which allowed it to switch between true and relative orientations, and has video output and trigger output terminals. In addition, the OPS-16D type has been made into a semiconductor element based on the OPS-16C type, and the pulse width and pulse repetition frequency have been changed to improve performance. In addition,

120-574: The class was to be USS Adjutant (AMS-60). However, the name Adjutant was canceled and the ship was transferred to the Portuguese Navy as Ponta Delgada (M 405). The first ship commissioned by the US Navy was Bluebird . This is where the US ships got their class name. With slight changes in design, some of the ships are referred to by other class names, such as Falcon class, Redwing class, Albatross class, or even under Adjutant class. While in

135-413: The major version upgrade version of OPS-17 has two intermediate frequency bandwidths and two video bandwidths. The OPS-18 was developed from the 1970s to the 1980s by introducing the frequency agility method. The OPS-18 has two built-in transmitters, a wideband automatic tuning function and an automatic collision prevention assistance (ARPA) function, and can display up to 10 targets at the same time. On

150-680: The other hand, while removing the ARPA function in OPS-18-1, it has a target indication function with improved minimum sensitivity, and it plays a role as a low-altitude warning radar in the Hatsuyuki-class destroyer. In addition, in OPS-18-3, a parabolic cylinder type antenna is used instead of the parabolic torus type antenna conventionally used in this series. Bluebird-class minesweeper The Adjutant -class auxiliary motor minesweepers were built for

165-416: The perpendiculars with an overall length of 144 ft (44 m). They had a beam of 27 ft (8.2 m) with a 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) draft . Half of the US ships used four Packard 300 hp (220 kW) diesel engines . The rest and most of the ships built for use by foreign nations used two General Motors 440 hp (330 kW) 8-268A diesel engines. The first ship of

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180-702: The service of foreign navies they could be referred to under other class names: USS Bluebird (AMS-121) USS Bluebird (AMS/MSC-121) was a Bluebird -class minesweeper acquired by the United States Navy for clearing minefields in coastal waterways. The third Bluebird to be so named by the Navy, AMS-121 was laid down on 5 February 1952, at Vallejo, California , by the Mare Island Naval Shipyard ; launched on 11 May 1953; sponsored by Mrs. G. C. Demmon; and commissioned on 24 July 1953. The minesweeper operated out of San Diego , California, performing

195-547: The usual tasks such as type training and fleet exercises. She also engaged in some experimental work. On 5 May 1954, however, Bluebird stood out of San Diego bound for Charleston, South Carolina . She transited the Panama Canal on 19 May, and after a visit to Guantánamo Bay , Cuba, arrived in her new home port on 27 May. The minesweeper conducted normal training operations out of Charleston and in Chesapeake Bay for about

210-564: The volatile Dominican Republic . Those and similar operations continued to occupy her time until September 1968. On 5 September, she received orders changing her home port to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida . Bluebird departed Charleston that same day and reached her destination on 7 September. Two days later, she was placed out of commission, in service. The minesweeper was assigned duty training naval reservists at Ft. Lauderdale. That service lasted until mid-May 1971, when she returned to Charleston to begin preparations for inactivation. Bluebird

225-522: Was based at Yorktown, Virginia , but soon thereafter returned to her old home port, Charleston. Charleston remained her home port for more than 12 years. In addition to the usual single-ship drills and type training, the minesweeper participated in such exercises as the annual NATO "Sweep Clear" exercises and Atlantic Fleet amphibious exercises. She tested minesweeping gear for the Mine Defense Laboratory at Panama City, Florida , and served as

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