A couple of articles of interest for the board. Both are not exactly new stories, but it's quite an important development for the JMSDF:
Japan's New Ship: Destroyer or Carrier? (Defense News Article)
Japan's New Ship: Destroyer or Carrier?
Launch of Vessel Prompted by China's Growing Submarine Force
By WENDELL MINNICK, TAIPEI
Japan's launch of a helicopter-carrying destroyer may signal its ambition to expand its naval capabilities and eventually join international coalitions abroad.
The 13,500-ton DDH 181 Hyuga, launched on Aug. 23 at the IHI Marine United shipyard in Yokohama, was viewed by some as Japan's first aircraft carrier since World War II.
The Hyuga has some similarities to an aircraft carrier or amphibious warfare ship, including a flush landing deck and starboard island structure.
But the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) classifies the vessel as a helicopter-carrying destroyer dedicated to anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and humanitarian/logistic support.
A total of four are planned to replace the two Haruna-class and two Shirane-class DDHs in the ASW role.
"The ships are designed to serve as flagships for the JMSDF flotilla, making use of command-and-control functions while operating its shipborne helicopters to conduct ASW, MIA operations, etc., unilaterally or in concert with U.S. forces," said Sumihiko Kawamura, deputy director of The Okazaki Institute, Tokyo. "The Hyuga is a big step forward to demonstrate Japan's capability to construct full-fledged aircraft carriers in the future."
The ship includes the FCS-3, a small version of the Aegis phased-array radar.
"The Hyuga will operate in conjunction with the Atago and Kongo classes, providing an integrated ASW and AAW capability within the FEF [Far Eastern Fleet]," said Richard Dorn, naval analyst for U.S.-based AMI International. "No doubt, the Hyuga, like the Atago and Kongo classes, will be able to integrate with the U.S. fleet, as many Japanese systems are either U.S. systems or based on U.S. systems."
One Japanese defense analyst with close ties to the Tokyo government suggested the new warship will engage in operations beyond those involving simple helicopters, and may be outfitted with more advanced fighters in the future.
"It cannot be denied that the launch of Hyuga is targeted at carrying the Harriers or F-35s in the future," the analyst said. "It is only natural given Japan-U.S. joint operations in the future."
Public images of the ship were not made immediately available.
The ship will carry three SH-60J anti-submarine helicopters and one CH-53E Super Stallion multipurpose helicopter. It can handle 11 aircraft in its hangar. It also has surface-to-air missiles, ASW torpedoes and two Phalanx air defense systems.
"Just as the JMSDF's other Aegis-class ships are understated as destroyers, so is the SDF Hyuga understated as a destroyer," Peter Woolley, author of the book, "Japan's Navy: Politics and Paradox," said. "It is a light carrier. But it is similar to light carriers maintained by European nations including Britain, Italy and Spain. Thailand also has a light carrier exported from Spain."
The ship is named for a World War II-era hybrid battleship/carrier that could carry 22 fighters, a decision not lost on defense analysts.
"The DDHs are designated as destroyers so as to avoid the taboo on Japan's possession of aircraft carriers. The DDHs, though, are a different sort of vessel," said Christopher Hughes, author of the book, "Japan's Re-emergence as a Normal Military Power."
Hughes said the class are destroyers "in the sense that they have the Aegis system, the [vertical launch system] for missiles, and the helicopters, all allowing Japan to engage in anti-submarine warfare," he said.
"But they also clearly are following the trend with other navies by giving Japan a flexible asset suitable for a number of roles, including anti-ship activities, support for amphibious landings, search and rescue, emergency evacuations, etc."
"The DDHs really are a form of mini-helicopter carrier, although still relatively small in tonnage, but allowing Japan to rehearse helicopter/aircraft carrier technologies," Hughes said.
Japan's decision to build an ASW pseudo-carrier was partly motivated by the growing Chinese submarine force. China has acquired eight Russian-built Kilo-class diesel subs over the past 10 years, and recent intrusions into Japanese waters by Chinese submarines have unnerved Tokyo.
"China's submarine force expansion may have been one of the motivating factors for Japan to develop this class of new ships, but Japan had already maintained a formidable ASW capacity since the Soviet era," said Yoichiro Sato of the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, Honolulu. "Its fleet of land-based P-3C Orions is fully capable of ASW operations in Japan's neighborhood."
The ship's expanded aviation capabilities will give the Japanese Navy more flexibility in humanitarian and logistic support for U.S. and U.N. operations.
"While the new ship may enable Japan to conduct ASW operations in distant waters, the more immediate and likely applications seem to be disaster relief and logistic operations," Sato said. "These operations, however, often require interoperability between the Maritime SDF [Self-Defense Force] and the Ground SDF, and Japan is notoriously poor at that."
Woolley agrees: "The launching of JDS Hyuga is a confirmation that in the post-Soviet era, Japan intends to maintain a modern and extremely competent naval force, expand its range of capabilities at sea, and prepare for the possibilities of participating in U.N. or U.S. coalition operations further abroad."
After 40 Years, Japan Achieves Warship Dream (Chosun Daily News Article)
After 40 Years, Japan Achieves Warship Dream
Last Thursday, as hundreds of guests watched, a naval vessel with a large flight deck reminiscent of a light aircraft carrier was launched at the IHI Marine United shipyard in Yokohama, Japan.
The 13,500-ton vessel Hyuga, a helicopter-carrying destroyer for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, made its magnificent presence known to the public for the first time. The name comes from an Imperial Navy warship that saw action in World War II. The original Hyuga was a battleship, but toward the end of the war it was modified into a unique aircraft-carrying battleship that could load some 20 fighters. The new Hyuga-class vessel meanwhile can carry several choppers and is mainly tasked with chasing and destroying enemy submarines.
Despite minimal attention from the Korean press, the launch of the Hyuga is worth noting for several reasons. First, the Hyuga, which is also known as 16DDH, is Japan's largest warship since World War II, and it's the Maritime Self-Defense Force's first warship greater than 10,000-tons. The Hyuga is also equipped with a state-of-the-art radar system, likened to a mini Japanese version of the Aegis system. The radar can cover all directions around the clock just as the Aegis does.
What's most noteworthy about the vessel is the debate over what exactly it is. Japan officially calls it a helicopter-carrying destroyer, claiming it is neither a light aircraft carrier nor a helicopter carrier. But many Korean and foreign media outlets are calling it Japan's first post-war helicopter carrier or light aircraft carrier. Japan plans to operate four to six of the ships, each with a hangar and deck for up to 11 choppers. Four SH-60 anti-submarine helicopters can lift off from the Hyuga flight deck at the same time. It doesn't carry vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, and is not equipped with the special "ski jump" decks needed for fixed-wing jets to take off.
Experts point out that the Hyuga is not a light aircraft carrier for now, but it can still serve as a helicopter carrier. In contrast to Japan's Haruna-class helicopter destroyer, which carries only three choppers, the Hyuga can carry nearly four times as many, greatly improving the Maritime Self-Defense Force's helicopter operation capabilities. The Hyuga is much larger than the 8,900-ton Oosumi-class vessels, a large landing ship that prompted a public outcry that it could be rebuilt into a light aircraft carrier. The Hyuga can also function as a flagship commanding a fleet and as a disaster rescue command station.
Also worth noting is that the launch of the Hyuga has laid the foundation for the Maritime Self-Defense Force to achieve its long-cherished desire to possess an aircraft carrier. Despite Japan's defeat in World War II, the Maritime Self-Defense Force long had a dream of operating an aircraft carrier. During the peak Cold-War years in the 1960s, it wanted to build a 10,000-ton anti-submarine helicopter carrier with a large flight deck. America's military advisory group approved the idea, and Japan pushed to build it with partial funding from the U.S. Seething public opinion and a lack of budget saw the plan scrapped. Haruna and Shirane helicopter-carrying destroyers were built instead, and now as they begin to age the Hyuga has been launched to replace them.
So now Japan's dream of building a helicopter carrier has come true after some 40 years of twists and turns. The Hyuga-class ships are clearly important vessels to pay attention to.
Sargon
Japan's New Ship: Destroyer or Carrier? (Defense News Article)
Japan's New Ship: Destroyer or Carrier?
Launch of Vessel Prompted by China's Growing Submarine Force
By WENDELL MINNICK, TAIPEI
Japan's launch of a helicopter-carrying destroyer may signal its ambition to expand its naval capabilities and eventually join international coalitions abroad.
The 13,500-ton DDH 181 Hyuga, launched on Aug. 23 at the IHI Marine United shipyard in Yokohama, was viewed by some as Japan's first aircraft carrier since World War II.
The Hyuga has some similarities to an aircraft carrier or amphibious warfare ship, including a flush landing deck and starboard island structure.
But the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) classifies the vessel as a helicopter-carrying destroyer dedicated to anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and humanitarian/logistic support.
A total of four are planned to replace the two Haruna-class and two Shirane-class DDHs in the ASW role.
"The ships are designed to serve as flagships for the JMSDF flotilla, making use of command-and-control functions while operating its shipborne helicopters to conduct ASW, MIA operations, etc., unilaterally or in concert with U.S. forces," said Sumihiko Kawamura, deputy director of The Okazaki Institute, Tokyo. "The Hyuga is a big step forward to demonstrate Japan's capability to construct full-fledged aircraft carriers in the future."
The ship includes the FCS-3, a small version of the Aegis phased-array radar.
"The Hyuga will operate in conjunction with the Atago and Kongo classes, providing an integrated ASW and AAW capability within the FEF [Far Eastern Fleet]," said Richard Dorn, naval analyst for U.S.-based AMI International. "No doubt, the Hyuga, like the Atago and Kongo classes, will be able to integrate with the U.S. fleet, as many Japanese systems are either U.S. systems or based on U.S. systems."
One Japanese defense analyst with close ties to the Tokyo government suggested the new warship will engage in operations beyond those involving simple helicopters, and may be outfitted with more advanced fighters in the future.
"It cannot be denied that the launch of Hyuga is targeted at carrying the Harriers or F-35s in the future," the analyst said. "It is only natural given Japan-U.S. joint operations in the future."
Public images of the ship were not made immediately available.
The ship will carry three SH-60J anti-submarine helicopters and one CH-53E Super Stallion multipurpose helicopter. It can handle 11 aircraft in its hangar. It also has surface-to-air missiles, ASW torpedoes and two Phalanx air defense systems.
"Just as the JMSDF's other Aegis-class ships are understated as destroyers, so is the SDF Hyuga understated as a destroyer," Peter Woolley, author of the book, "Japan's Navy: Politics and Paradox," said. "It is a light carrier. But it is similar to light carriers maintained by European nations including Britain, Italy and Spain. Thailand also has a light carrier exported from Spain."
The ship is named for a World War II-era hybrid battleship/carrier that could carry 22 fighters, a decision not lost on defense analysts.
"The DDHs are designated as destroyers so as to avoid the taboo on Japan's possession of aircraft carriers. The DDHs, though, are a different sort of vessel," said Christopher Hughes, author of the book, "Japan's Re-emergence as a Normal Military Power."
Hughes said the class are destroyers "in the sense that they have the Aegis system, the [vertical launch system] for missiles, and the helicopters, all allowing Japan to engage in anti-submarine warfare," he said.
"But they also clearly are following the trend with other navies by giving Japan a flexible asset suitable for a number of roles, including anti-ship activities, support for amphibious landings, search and rescue, emergency evacuations, etc."
"The DDHs really are a form of mini-helicopter carrier, although still relatively small in tonnage, but allowing Japan to rehearse helicopter/aircraft carrier technologies," Hughes said.
Japan's decision to build an ASW pseudo-carrier was partly motivated by the growing Chinese submarine force. China has acquired eight Russian-built Kilo-class diesel subs over the past 10 years, and recent intrusions into Japanese waters by Chinese submarines have unnerved Tokyo.
"China's submarine force expansion may have been one of the motivating factors for Japan to develop this class of new ships, but Japan had already maintained a formidable ASW capacity since the Soviet era," said Yoichiro Sato of the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, Honolulu. "Its fleet of land-based P-3C Orions is fully capable of ASW operations in Japan's neighborhood."
The ship's expanded aviation capabilities will give the Japanese Navy more flexibility in humanitarian and logistic support for U.S. and U.N. operations.
"While the new ship may enable Japan to conduct ASW operations in distant waters, the more immediate and likely applications seem to be disaster relief and logistic operations," Sato said. "These operations, however, often require interoperability between the Maritime SDF [Self-Defense Force] and the Ground SDF, and Japan is notoriously poor at that."
Woolley agrees: "The launching of JDS Hyuga is a confirmation that in the post-Soviet era, Japan intends to maintain a modern and extremely competent naval force, expand its range of capabilities at sea, and prepare for the possibilities of participating in U.N. or U.S. coalition operations further abroad."
After 40 Years, Japan Achieves Warship Dream (Chosun Daily News Article)
After 40 Years, Japan Achieves Warship Dream
Last Thursday, as hundreds of guests watched, a naval vessel with a large flight deck reminiscent of a light aircraft carrier was launched at the IHI Marine United shipyard in Yokohama, Japan.
The 13,500-ton vessel Hyuga, a helicopter-carrying destroyer for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, made its magnificent presence known to the public for the first time. The name comes from an Imperial Navy warship that saw action in World War II. The original Hyuga was a battleship, but toward the end of the war it was modified into a unique aircraft-carrying battleship that could load some 20 fighters. The new Hyuga-class vessel meanwhile can carry several choppers and is mainly tasked with chasing and destroying enemy submarines.
Despite minimal attention from the Korean press, the launch of the Hyuga is worth noting for several reasons. First, the Hyuga, which is also known as 16DDH, is Japan's largest warship since World War II, and it's the Maritime Self-Defense Force's first warship greater than 10,000-tons. The Hyuga is also equipped with a state-of-the-art radar system, likened to a mini Japanese version of the Aegis system. The radar can cover all directions around the clock just as the Aegis does.
What's most noteworthy about the vessel is the debate over what exactly it is. Japan officially calls it a helicopter-carrying destroyer, claiming it is neither a light aircraft carrier nor a helicopter carrier. But many Korean and foreign media outlets are calling it Japan's first post-war helicopter carrier or light aircraft carrier. Japan plans to operate four to six of the ships, each with a hangar and deck for up to 11 choppers. Four SH-60 anti-submarine helicopters can lift off from the Hyuga flight deck at the same time. It doesn't carry vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, and is not equipped with the special "ski jump" decks needed for fixed-wing jets to take off.
Experts point out that the Hyuga is not a light aircraft carrier for now, but it can still serve as a helicopter carrier. In contrast to Japan's Haruna-class helicopter destroyer, which carries only three choppers, the Hyuga can carry nearly four times as many, greatly improving the Maritime Self-Defense Force's helicopter operation capabilities. The Hyuga is much larger than the 8,900-ton Oosumi-class vessels, a large landing ship that prompted a public outcry that it could be rebuilt into a light aircraft carrier. The Hyuga can also function as a flagship commanding a fleet and as a disaster rescue command station.
Also worth noting is that the launch of the Hyuga has laid the foundation for the Maritime Self-Defense Force to achieve its long-cherished desire to possess an aircraft carrier. Despite Japan's defeat in World War II, the Maritime Self-Defense Force long had a dream of operating an aircraft carrier. During the peak Cold-War years in the 1960s, it wanted to build a 10,000-ton anti-submarine helicopter carrier with a large flight deck. America's military advisory group approved the idea, and Japan pushed to build it with partial funding from the U.S. Seething public opinion and a lack of budget saw the plan scrapped. Haruna and Shirane helicopter-carrying destroyers were built instead, and now as they begin to age the Hyuga has been launched to replace them.
So now Japan's dream of building a helicopter carrier has come true after some 40 years of twists and turns. The Hyuga-class ships are clearly important vessels to pay attention to.
Sargon
