U.S. Marine F-35Bs to Operate off Largest Japanese Warship Later This Year

US Naval Institute News ^ | 1 September 2021 | Sam LaGrone

[Army Air Corps]

U.S. Marine F-35B Lighting II Joint Strike Fighters will operate off a Japanese warship later this year, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger said on Wednesday.

In November, the Marine F-35Bs will embark on one of the two 24,000-ton Izumo-class helicopter destroyers in an exchange that could lead to a similar program in which a U.S. Marine JSF squadron embarked aboard U.K. Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) this year.

“We’re not going to go on deployment but we’re actually going to fly U.S. Marine Corps F-35s off of a Japanese ship,” Berger said on Wednesday during a U.S. Naval Institute – CSIS Maritime Security Dialogue.

The Japanese government approached the Marines in 2019 to consider the exchange of aircraft in parallel to the retrofit that would allow Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force warships JS Izumo (DDH-183) and JS Kaga (DDH-184) to embark F-35Bs, USNI News reported at the time.

The warship will likely be JS Izumo (DDH-183). Izumo completed the first phase of the modifications to accommodate F-35s in July, according to Naval News. The modifications include adding lines to the deck and heat-resistant coatings.

[Army Air Corps]

Ping.

[BenLurkin]

[Army Air Corps]

The Izumo is a nice ship.

[Calvin Cooledge]

Interesting they have a ship called Kaga. The earlier Kaga took part in Pearl Harbor attack and was sunk at the Battle of Midway.

[Gene Eric]

Amazing the difference 70 years can make.

This is good.

[Army Air Corps]

They also have a class of submarines named Soryu.

[DesertRhino]

Did you ever think USMC pilots would be flying off the Kaga?

[Army Air Corps]

Truth is often stranger than fiction, no?

[Veggie Todd]

The earlier Kaga took part in Pearl Harbor attack and was sunk at the Battle of Midway.

I hope it was Charlton Heston's son Tom that sunk her.

[Charles Martel]

Like us, they have a number of current vessels with historical names. For example, the lead ship in the JDF destroyer class (based heavily on our Arleigh Burke design) is the Kongo. One of the other ships in that class is the Kirishima.

[max americana]

I did. Esp. with the upcoming war with the chicoms, anything is possible.

[Mark17]

They also have a class of submarines named Soryu.

All we need is Akagi and Hiryu, to make it complete. 👍

[microgood]

The modifications include adding lines to the deck and heat-resistant coatings

I would guess the vertical landing of these jets would heat up the deck.

[PAR35]

The British carrier is about 3x the displacement of these Japanese ships.

[srmanuel]

I’ll say it’s a far cry from TORA TORA TORA !!!

[Gene Eric]

Exactly.

[datura]

Where are the elevators? Mid deck???

[Larry Lucido]

“One of the other ships in that class is the Kirishima.”

I misread that as the “Krishna” rendered in Japanese syllables.

I would have commissioned another ship the “Hare” just because. “Here come the Hare-Kirishina!”

[Tallguy]

US Marines flying off a carrier named “Kaga” would be a little unsettling.