Posted on 11/04/2013 12:47:23 PM PST by sukhoi-30mki
Its not the usual kind of fanfare you would associate with the launching of a nations cutting edge new submarine, but this is Japan and they do things a little bit differently here. Amid balloons, party banners, the odd rising sun war flag here and there, and confetti (lots of confetti, there has to be confetti), the Japan Marine Self Defense Force (MSDF) launched its newest state-of-the-art toy the submarine Kokuryu, which literally means Black Dragon.
The submarine Kukoryu was made by Kawasaki Heavy Industries and is said to be made with leading edge technology, costing Japanese taxpayers a hefty 53.4 billion yen (around US$540 million). But not only was the submarine itself expensive, it seems that the MSDF spared no cost for the launch ceremony, having cool party stuff that would be the envy of any 7-year-old boy. The launch committee had put out streamers, lots of balloons, and confetti to decorate the ceremony venue making the launch ceremony a cross between a war rally and a really fun kiddie party.
The submarine is not yet fully fitted out internally, sources say, and it will sit in the dock until the internal fittings have been finished. But it is a significant event that Japan is putting out a new high-tech submarine, complete with rising sun war flags that are sure to attract the ire of neighbors China and South Korea, especially since South Korea is not too happy with Japan right now and Korean citizens actually think that Japan may still be a military threat to them in this day and age. Be that as it may, we learn one valuable lesson here that if you want to throw your kid a party, you know whom to get in touch with. Those guys at the MSDF really know how to throw a fun childrens party, eh?
Ye Gads! They sure picked a winner to write this piece, didn’t they? Rising sun, “war flag”?
That’s the Japanese Navy Jack, you idiots!
I guess this is what Obama supporters do when they come to Japan.
Ping.
If you spent $540 million on a cutting edge sub it’s probably not out of line to blow $50,000(?) on the launching party. Hundreds if not thousands of people were directly involved in getting it to that point.
Geez, for another $100 Million they could have built a web-site that doesn’t work. Ronan, I guess this isn’t a good weak for Navy Jack appreciation.
The “Black Dragon” may be a fitting name. See kokuryukai....kind of a ninja thing...
Very different looking animal from other subs.
“But it is a significant event that Japan is putting out a new high-tech submarine, complete with rising sun war flags that are sure to attract the ire of neighbors China and South Korea”
Whoever wrote this nonsense apparently doesn’t know that Japan kept its traditional naval ensign (the one with the rays coming out of the rising sun) when it formed its “maritime self-defense force” in the early 1950s, just like it kept the “meatball” for its military aircraft. So seeing a Japanese warship flying a flag it always had won’t set off many alarm bells. BTW, $540 million seems quite reasonable for an attack sub these days, even a diesel-electric one.
I read somewhere there were 2 old ninja left and they were not passing on the knowledge.
This is the Japanese naval Jack:
Was it a Japanese cruiser/destroyer?
We were docked to the stern of a Japanese ship in Pearl back around February ‘94.
MAN! Their morning colors music was........different.
It was a submarine. Yep...they did things a bit different.
AH! Okay.
I'm curious: Did they render honors to the Arizona?
“If you spent $540 million on a cutting edge sub its probably not out of line to blow $50,000(?) on the launching party. Hundreds if not thousands of people were directly involved in getting it to that point.”
Electric Boat launched the U.S.S. DAKOTA SSN784 this past Saturday. I am certain more than $50,000 was spent there on a party.
Correction, “Christened”
Mentioned before, when another Japanese surface ship came in, the crew lined the rails in full dress uniform. Those are some proud sailors.
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