Did you see the captioned pic that was with that article?
 if only we had these sixty years ago |
Posted on 12/06/2002 7:56:26 PM PST by knighthawk
WASHINGTON (Kyodo) The Aegis-equipped destroyer to be dispatched by Japan to support the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan will be deployed to the Gulf of Oman, Japanese and U.S. sources said Wednesday. The Gulf of Oman is next to the Persian Gulf, which will be a staging point for U.S. and British naval forces in case of an attack on Iraq.
The sources also said Japanese vessels will continue refueling U.S. and British warships around the Gulf of Oman even if the United States begins an attack on Iraq.
In Tokyo on Wednesday, Defense Agency chief Shigeru Ishiba said Japan will send a destroyer equipped with the advanced Aegis combat system later this month to step up logistic support for the U.S.-led campaign aimed at hunting down remaining Taliban and al-Qaeda members in Afghanistan.
The dispatch, however, could run counter to Japan's constitutional ban on participating in warfare in the event of an ally being attacked.
The radar on an Aegis destroyer can reach the Persian Gulf and intelligence gathered by the ship could be shared with U.S. vessels of the same type in the Persian Gulf.
It is possible that the U.S. military could engage Iraqi warplanes using intelligence provided by the Japanese destroyer.
The Aegis destroyer is scheduled to depart Dec. 13 and arrive in Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates at the end of the month via Singapore, the sources said.
The ship will then be deployed to the Gulf of Oman to replace a ship escorting Japanese vessels engaged in refueling operations.
The U.S. was quick to hail Tokyo's decision to dispatch the Aegis ship.
"The U.S. government thinks this is a splendid example of Prime Minister (Junichiro) Koizumi's leadership," Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage told Kyodo News.
Armitage said he does not think the Japanese government "would be doing something in violation of the Constitution."
I'm a bit puzzled.
Did we sell them this military technology?
Or are we stuck importing this stuff nowadays?
I didn't think the Japs were allowed to have any wepons after WWII. I thought that this was part of the treaty they signed. Wasn't this part of the MacArthur arrangement? I'm rusty on this piece of history. I was not alive then but I seem to remember from my history classes that there were terms in this regard. It might be kind for others to clarify for others. Thank you. Cheers.
If I were President Bush (my "W') buddy; after all of this is over, I'd send these assholes an invoice for what it cost the United States of America to defend their cowardly asses. I'd write the entire Gulf war off to these sorry cowardly morons. If not paid in 90 days, get your UN out of my country on the East River, in NY, and all aid to every country on this planet STOPS. UN, UNICEF, the list goes on. It all ENDS.
This may come as a surprise to some, but the Japanese are able to produce very advanced specialized high-tech electronics without America's help.
if only we had these sixty years ago |
As I understand it, Aegis is not just the big octogonal panel radars on the superstructure of the frigate that carries it; It's a network of fire-control computers that link up several ships' SAM defenses, airborne helicopters that transmit over-the-horizon radar data of several different types, and make sense of the wide array of information it gathers.
It's a 'balancing' scheme where one ship can direct itself and others to detect and engage numerous targets by layering air-defense and surface-defense systems ultimately protecting the fleet carrier with a giant shield.
The actual electronics themselves are probably 1980's-vintage American tech at best, which would be simple for the Japanese to clone if they wished, but since we did all the brainwork to make it as awesome as it is, they'd just rather buy our off-the-shelf solution.
If the Japanese are constitutionally-limited to defensive weapons only, they couldn't have chosen a better system than Aegis.
You're the Navy man here. Tell us more. :]
I'm not going to claim to be real knowledgable. See my handle? I haven't been attached to a shooter since 1986, and that was a Perry class FFG.
Maybe the JMSDF only sent one ship, but they certainly sent the most capable ship they have.
That photo is of a USN Aegis cruiser. Here's a (poor) photo a JMSDF Aegis destroyer.
This latest deployment is still signifigant, however --we're seeing a kind of Japanese military incrementalism.
You know, in Japan, usually when announcement of some basic change in policy in public policy is openly made, the actual decision has actually occurred at a prior point in time -- sometimes years before.
A QUESTION:
If what we see now unfolding casts light on the thinking that went on years ago, in view of North Korea openly announcing her nuclear ambitions, what now might those Japanese actually in control of the country be pondering....?
We're going into something like the 14th year of an extremely painful Japanese recesssion, one in which just about any legitimate public leader proves mired in scandal, and extravagantly unable to really act to improve things.
Meanwhile, to the average, honorable Joe Sixpack-san, the military probably doesn't look nearly as geeky as it really has been for the past 60 or so years.
If things play out in Asia as I think they might, we will see a Japan armed with nuclear weapons inside of 5 or 10 yeasrs, I think.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.