| Tango01 | 09 Oct 2018 9:58 p.m. PST |
"A floating air base would help defend far-flung islands under Chinese pressure, but at a cost. In 1983, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone promised U.S. President Ronald Reagan that he would make Japan into an "unsinkable aircraft carrier." The irony was, and remains, that Japan has not possessed an actual aircraft carrier in more than 70 years. But that may soon change. The Japanese government is debating retrofitting a class of destroyers to turn them into aircraft carriers. Beyond answering the expected questions of whether such ships would violate its constitution, Japan will need to decide whether the operational need offsets what is expected to be a significant resource strain….."
Main page
link YouTube link Well… the Izumo Class Helicopter Destroyer (DDH 183) looks impressive.
Amicalement
Armand
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| Lion in the Stars | 10 Oct 2018 5:41 a.m. PST |
I thought they'd been designed with decks sufficiently heat-resistant to handle V22 Ospreys (which just so happens to also be enough to handle F35Bs) from the get-go? If they weren't, they need to be refitted to be able to handle Ospreys ASAP. The problem is how this intersects with Article 9 of their post-war Constitution. Ospreys are still justifiably transports. Japan buying F35Bs would be a shot across the bow at China. |
| FatherOfAllLogic | 10 Oct 2018 6:17 a.m. PST |
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| ancientsgamer | 10 Oct 2018 7:35 a.m. PST |
Constitution has already been updated, I believe? Nothing like a few missile tests near your country to wake up the citizenry. Not sure of their ship building capacity but they definitely have the capability. |
| Tango01 | 10 Oct 2018 10:50 a.m. PST |
No doubt of that…. Amicalement
Armand |
| Thresher01 | 10 Oct 2018 6:47 p.m. PST |
They just landed a few "Marines" in the Philippines on a friendly exercise. No doubt, given actions by China, their constitution can easily be amended. I suspect at least some of their "carriers" or "destroyers/amphib ships" will get the F-35Bs. |
| Max Schnell | 10 Oct 2018 8:46 p.m. PST |
Drone carriers are the future. |
| darthfozzywig | 11 Oct 2018 7:55 a.m. PST |
Let's just make sure when theirs set sail, ours aren't in port… ;) |
| PVT641 | 15 Oct 2018 7:37 a.m. PST |
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| Gaz0045 | 15 Oct 2018 8:43 a.m. PST |
The government are trying to push for a change in Article 9 at the present….. |
| Cacique Caribe | 16 Oct 2018 9:38 a.m. PST |
I'm thinking it would be best if changes to these externally-imposed restrictions were to take place gradually. How long has it been? :) Dan
PS. I'm more concerned about the ones they are trying to defend themselves against. |
| Lion in the Stars | 16 Oct 2018 8:41 p.m. PST |
CC, most Japanese are really proud of Article 9. The current PM is seen as a hawk, just by trying to amend Article 9 to explicitly allow the Self-Defense Forces as-is. |
says these figures are a painter's dream!
