| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Type-A submarines |
| Builders | |
| Operators | |
| Preceded by | Junsen Type |
| Succeeded by | Junsen Type B |
| Subclasses | |
| Built | 1938–1945 |
| In commission | 1941–1945 |
TheCruiser submarineType-A (巡潜甲型潜水艦,Junsen Kō-gata sensuikan) was a class of submarine in theImperial Japanese Navy (IJN), which served during theSecond World War. TheType-A submarines were built to take a role of the command ships for submarine squadrons. For this reason they had equipment for a headquarters, better radio facilities and a floatplane.
TheType-A submarines were divided into four classes:

Project numberS35Ja. Their design was based on theJunsen III (I-7 class). Three boats were built in 1938-42 under theMaru 3 Programme (Boat # 35 - 36) andMaru 4 Programme (Boat # 138).
| Boat No. | Boat | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Completed | Results | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | I-9[1] | Kure Naval Arsenal | 25-01-1938 | 20-05-1939 | 13-02-1941 | Sank USSLahaina 12-12-1941 | Sunk byUSS Frazier atKiska52°08′N177°38′E / 52.133°N 177.633°E /52.133; 177.633 (I-9) 13-06-1943. |
| 36 | I-10 | Kawasaki-Kōbe Shipyard | 07-06-1938 | 20-09-1939 | 31-10-1941 | Sank Panamanian merchant shipDonerail 10-12-1941 Sank USSMelvin H. Baker 05-06-1942 Sank Panamanian merchant shipAtlantic Gulf 06-06-1942 Sank RMSKing Lud 08-06-1942 Sank RMSQueen Victoria 28-06-1942 Sank USSExpress 30-06-1942 Sank Greek merchantmanNymphe 06-07-1942 Sank RMSHartismere 08-07-1942 Sank Dutch merchant shipAlchiba 09-07-1942 Sank USSSamuel Gompers 30-01-1943 Sank USSGulfwave 01-03-1943 Sank Norwegian merchantmanAlcides 22-07-1943 Sank Norwegian merchant shipBramora 14-09-1943 Sank USSElias Howe 24-09-1943 Sank Norwegian merchant shipStorvixen 01-10-1943 Sank Norwegian merchantmanAnna Knudsen 02-10-1943 Sank RMSCongella 24-10-1943 Sank or damaged unknown warship 02-07-1944 | Sunk byUSS David W. Taylor andUSS Riddle east ofSaipan15°26′N147°48′E / 15.433°N 147.800°E /15.433; 147.800 (I-10) 04-07-1944. |
| 138 | I-11 | Kawasaki-Kōbe Shipyard | 10-04-1940 | 28-02-1941 | 16-05-1942 | Sank Greek merchant shipGeorge S. Livanos 20-07-1942 Sank USSCoast Farmer 21-07-1942 Sank USSWilliam Dawes 22-07-1942 DamagedHMAS Hobart 20-07-1943 Damaged USSMatthew Lyon 11-08-1943 | Lost in an accident or sunk by a mine nearFunafuti January 1944. |
Project numberS35B. Five boats were planned under theMaru Tsui Programme (Boat # 620 - 621) and theKai-Maru 5 Programme (Boat # 5091 - 5093). They were equipped with less powerful diesel engines which shortened the time needed to build them. Only one boat,I-12, was completed to the original design. TheI-13 and the later boats were converted to a new submarine class (I-13 class), because the number ofI-400 class boats was reduced.
| Boat No. | Boat | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Completed | Results | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 620 | I-12 | Kawasaki-Kōbe Shipyard | 05-11-1942 | 03-08-1943 | 25-05-1944 | Sank USSJohn A. Johnson 30-10-1944 | Sunk by minesweeperUSS Ardent on 13-11-1944. |
| 621 | I-13 | Kawasaki-Kōbe Shipyard | 04-02-1943 | Converted to theI-13 class in October 1943. | |||
| 5091 | I-14 | Kawasaki-Kōbe Shipyard | 18-05-1943 | ||||
| 5092 | I-15 | Kawasaki-Senshū Shipyard | 30-04-1943 | ||||
| 5093 | I-1 | Kawasaki-Senshū Shipyard | 24-06-1943 |

Project numberS35C. Four boats were planned under theMaru Tsui Programme (Boat # 621) and theKai-Maru 5 Programme (Boat # 5091 - 5093). However, four boats were converted to new submarine class (I-13 class), because a number of submarines of theI-400 class were cancelled. They had a large hangar and were equipped with bulges to be able to operate 2 × specialAichi M6A1Seiran attack bombers. The headquarters institutions were removed.
| Boat No. | Boat | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Completed | Results | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 621 | I-13 | Kawasaki-Kōbe Shipyard | 04-02-1943 | 30-11-1943 | 16-12-1944 | Sunk byUSS Lawrence C. Taylor,USS Robert F. Keller and aircraft fromUSS Anzio northeast of theOgasawara Islands 16-07-1945. | |
| 5091 | I-14 | Kawasaki-Kōbe Shipyard | 18-05-1943 | 14-03-1944 | 14-03-1945 | Captured byUSS Murray 27-08-1945, decommissioned 15-09-1945, sunk as a target off theHawaiian Islands 28-05-1946. | |
| 5092 | I-15 | Kawasaki-Senshū Shipyard Kawasaki-Kōbe Shipyard (after launch) | 30-04-1943 | 12-04-1944 | Converted to a tanker submarine in June 1945;[2] 90% complete; scrapped in 1945. | ||
| 5093 | I-1 | Kawasaki-Kōbe Shipyard Kawasaki-Senshū Shipyard (after launch) | 24-06-1943 | 10-06-1944 | 70% complete; Sunk by a typhoon on 18-09-1945; later salvaged and scrapped. |
Project numberS48. Three boats were planned under theKai-Maru 5 Programme. However, all boats were cancelled in late 1943, because the IJN turned its attention to the construction ofType E submarine [ja] (戊型潜水艦,Bo-gata sensuikan) in 1945.
| Boat No. | Boat | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Completed | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5094 - 5096 | Cancelled in 1943. |
| Type | Type-A (I-9) | Type-A Mod.1 (I-12) | Type-A Mod.2 (I-13) | V21 Type | |
| Displacement | Surfaced | 2,434 long tons (2,473 t) | 2,390 long tons (2,428 t) | 2,620 long tons (2,662 t) | 2,330 long tons (2,367 t) |
| Submerged | 4,150 long tons (4,217 t) | 4,172 long tons (4,239 t) | 4,762 long tons (4,838 t) | No data | |
| Length (overall) | 113.70 m (373 ft 0 in) | 113.70 m (373 ft 0 in) | 113.70 m (373 ft 0 in) | 111.00 m (364 ft 2 in) (waterline) | |
| Beam | 9.55 m (31 ft 4 in) | 9.55 m (31 ft 4 in) | 11.70 m (38 ft 5 in) | 9.82 m (32 ft 3 in) | |
| Draft | 5.36 m (17 ft 7 in) | 5.36 m (17 ft 7 in) | 5.89 m (19 ft 4 in) | 5.50 m (18 ft 1 in) | |
| Depth | 8.30 m (27 ft 3 in) | 8.30 m (27 ft 3 in) | 8.30 m (27 ft 3 in) | No data | |
| Power plant and shaft | 2 ×Kampon Mk.2 Model 10 diesels 2 shafts | 2 × Kampon Mk.22 Model 10 diesels 2 shafts | 2 × Kampon Mk.22 Model 10 diesels 2 shafts | 2 × Kampon Mk.2 Model 10 diesels 2 shafts | |
| Power | Surfaced | 12,400 bhp | 4,700 bhp | 4,700 bhp | 11,000 bhp |
| Submerged | 2,400 shp | 1,200 shp | 600 shp | 2,400 shp | |
| Speed | Surfaced | 23.5knots (43.5 km/h) | 17.7knots (32.8 km/h) | 16.7knots (30.9 km/h) | 22.4knots (41.5 km/h) |
| Submerged | 8.0knots (14.8 km/h) | 6.2knots (11.5 km/h) | 5.5knots (10.2 km/h) | 8.0knots (14.8 km/h) | |
| Range | Surfaced | 16,000 nmi (30,000 km) at 16 knots (30 km/h) | 22,000 nmi (41,000 km) at 16 knots (30 km/h) | 21,000 nmi (39,000 km) at 16 knots (30 km/h) | 16,000 nmi (30,000 km) at 16 knots (30 km/h) |
| Submerged | 90 nmi (170 km) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h) | 75 nmi (139 km) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h) | 60 nmi (110 km) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h) | 80 nmi (150 km) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h) | |
| Test depth | 100 m (330 ft) | 100 m (330 ft) | 100 m (330 ft) | 100 m (330 ft) | |
| Fuel | 878 tons | 917 tons | 917 tons | 880 tons | |
| Complement | 104 | 112 | 108 | No data | |
| Armament (initial) | • 6 × 533 mm (21 in)Torpedo tubes (6 × front) • 18 ×Type 95 torpedoes • 1 × 140 mm (5.5 in)L/4011th Year Type Naval gun[3] • 4 ×Type 96 25mm AA guns | • 6 × 533 mm (21 in) TTs (6 × front) • 18 × Type 95 torpedoes • 1 × 140 mm (5.5 in)L/40 11th Year Type Naval gun[3] • 4 × Type 96 25mm AA guns | • 6 × 533 mm (21 in) TTs (6 × front) • 12 × Type 95 torpedoes • 1 × 140 mm (5.5 in)L/40 11th Year Type Naval gun[3] • 10 × Type 96 25mm AA guns | • 6 × 533 mm (21 in) TTs (6 × front) • 18 × torpedoes • 1 × 140 mm Naval gun • 4 × 25mm AA guns | |
| Aircraft and facilities | • Catapult and hangar • 1 ×Watanabe E9W1Slim seaplane | • Catapult and hangar • 1 ×Yokosuka E14Y2Glen seaplane | • Catapult and hangar • 2 ×Aichi M6A1Seiran floatplane | • Catapult and hangar • 1 × floatplane | |