Umikaze

The lessons from the Russo-Japanese War revealed that 300-ton destroyers were not suitable for open sea operations. Japan embarked on a path to create bigger destroyers, beginning with two Umikaze-class warships modeled after British ships of the same type. They were the first warships to be equipped with steam turbines. The lead ship, Umikaze, commissioned in September 1911, saw active duty in World War I and engaged in the pursuit of Admiral Graf Spee's squadron.