"The Izumo and the Kaga, Japan’s carriers " Topic

"In a few short years, Japan will have its first real aircraft carriers since World War II. The modification of JS Izumo and JS Kaga to carry the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter will upend, or at least update, nearly seven decades of defense thinking in Japan, and across East Asia. The combination of the Izumos with the F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter and the MV-22 Osprey transport may herald Japan's return to serious naval competition in East Asia, with reverberations in South Korea, China, and the United States. It may also fundamentally change the identity and culture of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and the rest of the Japanese armed forces…."

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And if you ask… why they are not building even bigger aircraft carriers, the only thing that is stopping Japan right now are political concerns ….see here

"The Only Thing Stopping Japan from Being an Aircraft Carrier Superpower"

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Amicalement
Armand

Next up, the Akagi, Hiryu, Soryu….

Well, very luckily Japan is a very different country now. I think I feel better knowing that they'll have some power projection.

I'm going to have to spend some time reading up on those carriers.

Can't believe it's been more than 6 years now since I've been to Japan, but the 'discussions' about whether to amend Article 9 to explicitly allow the Self-Defense Forces to exist at all were pretty impressive then. Loud and rather acrimonious, on par with Democrat-v-Republican 'core values' debates here in the US. Many of the post-war Japanese are very proud of that clause.

But I agree that the Japanese really need to step up and have enough teeth that they don't have to have the US backing them up.

@Darth: Akagi and Hiryu are possible, but the Soryu name is currently used by a submarine. The Japanese are using the names of mythological creatures for their submarines now, so I'm expecting one of the last 3 Soryu-class to be named Hiryu.

Akagi might be appropriate for either a third Izumo-class or a follow-on class, as it's the name of a very large mountain in Gunma Prefecture (in addition to the name of a couple towns). link

Thanks!

Amicalement
Armand

Wonder if they still have all those old manuals on carrier operations from WWII?

Even if they did, they don't apply anymore (WW2 propeller-driven aircraft could land at 60knots, F35As land at about 160, and F35Bs land at zero).

What is more important for the Japanese is that they don't have any institutional experience of carrier operations anymore.

At least Japan is willing somewhat to step up and try to rely less on the US. Unlike most of Europe which each nation still seems to either want to have their own navy while trying to stay or leave the EU.