Posted on 08/06/2013 9:52:49 PM PDT by Ron C.
Japan on Tuesday unveiled its biggest warship since World War II, a huge flat-top destroyer that has raised eyebrows in China and elsewhere because it bears a strong resemblance to a conventional aircraft carrier.
The ship, which has a flight deck that is nearly 820 feet long, is designed to carry up to 14 helicopters. Japanese officials say it will be used in national defense -- particularly in anti-submarine warfare and border-area surveillance missions -- and to bolster the nation's ability to transport personnel and supplies in response to large-scale natural disasters, like the devastating earthquake and tsunami in 2011.
Though the ship -- dubbed "Izumo" -- has been in the works since 2009, its unveiling comes as Japan and China are locked in a dispute over several small islands located between southern Japan and Taiwan. For months, ships from both countries have been conducting patrols around the isles, called the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyutai in China.
The tensions over the islands, along with China's heavy spending on defense and military modernization, have heightened calls in Japan for beefed-up naval and air forces. China recently began operating an aircraft carrier that it refurbished after purchasing from Russia, and is reportedly moving forward with the construction of another that is domestically built.
Japan, China and Taiwan all claim the islands.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
The Wasp is 30 feet longer, it is about 10 feet taller, but it's beam is actually 3-4 feet less, although it's flight deck is a good 15-20 feet wider.
As you can see, the new Japanese vessel is a very large ship. Even at 30,000 tons full load, which is 3,000 tons larger than they admit to, I believe if fully outfitted with aircraft and fuel, it will be closer to 35,000 tons. The Japanese are already building the second vessel in this class.
BTW, in the Sea Control role, the Wasp Class can carry 20+ AV-8B Harrier II aircraft, or ultimately 20+ F-35B Joint Strike Fighters. Given the size of the Japanese vessel, you have to believe it could do something similar if necessary and if the Japanese purchase the aircraft. That would be something to watch for.
As if obamanation would ever sell weapons to a nation that wasn't communist or muslim.
No angled deck, no catapaults. It’s an amphibious assault ship, aka helicopter-only-carrier.
If you look at their Aegis “destroyers”, at full load they are as heavy as our cruisers. Germany and Japan did this before the first World War as a way of getting around the treaty restrictions. Japan could not have battleships so they made carriers and the rest is history.
As for the Aegis destroyer, do you know anything about the modern US navy? Our Arleigh Burke class destroyers are almost the size of our Ticonderoga Cruisers. (btw, the Ticos were originally designated as destroyers) The 4 Japanese Kongo class destroyers are basically Japanese versions of the Flight 1 Arleigh Burke class destroyer. The 2 Atago-class destroyers are Flight IIA Arleigh Burkes.
This ship will have vtol drones, by the hundreds.
Yea yea. They could have battleships but not the same amount as the Allies.
I’m an AF guy so I don’t claim to be an expert. We are just chatting here.
The basic idea is that they can’t have “offensive” weapons by their constitution. A cruiser is an offensive weapon so they call their “cruisers” destroyers. Carriers are offensive so they call them “helo carriers” which is defensive. etc etc.
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