Medium submarine RO-109.
The Kaisho (KS) Type (RO-100 class) submarines were originally designed as coastal defense boats. Even so, had they been used as commerce raiders, they may have been successful, but the IJN chose instead to employ them against heavily screened warships against which they were largely ineffective. The USS ENGLAND (DE-635) accounted for five of these boats, while the USS TAYLOR (DD 468) and the USS BATFISH *SS-310) each accounted for two others.
| Units | 18 (none survived) | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ships | RO-100, RO-101, RO-102, RO-103, RO-104, RO-105, RO-106, RO-107, RO-108, RO-109, RO-110, RO-111, RO-112, RO-113, RO-114, RO-115, RO-116 and RO-117 | ||||||||||
| Year(s) Completed | 1942 - 1944 | ||||||||||
| Displacement | 601 tons / 782 tons | ||||||||||
| Dimensions | 199.75 ft x 19.5 ft x 11.5 ft | ||||||||||
| Machinery | 2 diesels: 1,000 hp
2 electric motors: 760 hp |
||||||||||
| Speed | 14.25 knots / 8 knots | ||||||||||
| Range | 3,500 nm @ 12 knots | ||||||||||
| Armament | 4 x533mm TT fwd + 1x76mm (8 Torpedoes) | ||||||||||
| Max. Depth | 75 m (245 feet) | ||||||||||
| Crew | 38 officers and men |
