Equipped with a powerful radar system and long-range ship-to-air missiles, the guided missile destroyers are responsible for the air defense of the fleet in each naval formation. In recent years, all ships put into service have been equipped with the Aegis system. In this book model builders and ship enthusiasts will find valuable information on practically all guided missile destroyers of the modern Japanese Navy (JMSDF): Tatakaze type, Hatakaze type, Kongo type, Atago type and Maya type. This is a comprehensive introduction to all of the JMSDF's successive missile destroyers. The majority of the model construction examples presented here are on a scale of 1:700, with all 16 ships of this special ship type being represented.