The JDS Harukaze (DD-101) (はるかぜ, namesake: Spring Wind) was the first destroyer class made in Japan after WW2, and resembles American destroyers more than its IJN predecessors. Inspired by ships from the war, the Harukaze-class mainly took advantage of designs from the American Gearing-class in overall construction and equipment, with traverse taken from Imperial Japanese designs.

The Harukaze was introduced in Update "Winged Lions". She is armed with 3 fast-firing single 127 mm guns with a variety of shells, including HE-VT to take down aircraft, which is also added to with a good AA battery of 2 quad-mount 40 mm Bofors cannons. However, Harukaze lacks torpedoes of any kind, which prevents it from reliably taking down large ships. Compared to other destroyers, Harukaze is relatively slow, having a maximum speed of only 56 km/h. In many ways, Harukaze is like a larger version of the JDS frigates Akebono and Ikazuchi, having fast-firing dual-purpose guns, a somewhat slow speed, and a secondary armament of only depth charges.