Posted on 07/15/2003 8:38:05 PM PDT by overtaxed_canadian
Japan departs from pacifist stance, plans two aircraft carriers Perception of North Korean threat may have led to decision
By Richard Halloran
HAWAII - The Japanese navy is preparing to build two small aircraft carriers, its first in more than 60 years, according to Japanese and United States officials.
The plan is further evidence that Japan is departing from its pacifist post-World War II Constitution that restricts its military to self-defence.
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The carriers can be deployed as command ships in a task force to give the Maritime Self-Defence Force, as the Japanese navy is called, a modest ability to project power into the sea-lanes that are vital to Japan's trading economy.
That capability is likely to draw protests from China, North Korea and South Korea, which were invaded by Japan during World War II.
Tokyo's decision to go ahead with the aircraft-carrier plan is believed to be prompted by its perception of an immediate threat from North Korea and a longer-term threat from China.
In its 2003 White Paper on defence published last week, the Self-Defence Agency asserted in more forceful terms than in earlier versions that the nation must build up its fundamental defence capabilities to ensure its independence.
In that respect, Japan is on the verge of building a missile defence. It has also just launched a second pair of intelligence satellites to watch North Korea.
Tokyo also recently passed laws giving the Self-Defence Forces wider latitude in defending their homeland.
Funds for the first small carrier have been included in Japan's defence budget for fiscal year 2004, beginning April 1 next year. The second carrier is scheduled for fiscal year 2005.
Japanese naval officers are calling the new ships 'destroyers' instead of 'aircraft carriers' in an effort to avoid triggering opposition from those against enhanced defence in Japan as well as from China and the two Koreas.
Yet drawings of the warship show the flat deck of an aircraft carrier and an 'island', or command structure, at the starboard or right edge of the deck.
Moreover, officials familiar with the ship's design said the deck and hangar below are capable of handling aircraft such as the joint strike fighter being developed by Lockheed Martin, a leading US defence contractor. That fighter, also called the F-35, is scheduled to go into production in 2008 just as the first Japanese carrier is ready for sea.
The F-35 will be a supersonic warplane capable of flying at 1 1/2 times the speed of sound. It will also incorporate stealth technology to enable it to evade radar detection.
The Japanese vessels will be comparable in size to Spain's 16,700-ton Principe De Asturias, which carries 17 planes.
The plan calls for equipping the carriers with new SH-60 Seahawk helicopters, which are designed to patrol the ocean, to detect submarines, and to protect the fleet.
The first ship is to be commissioned in 2008, the second in 2009. Two more may be built later.
An earlier proposal by the Self-Defence Forces to buy 'jump jets', that can fly as fighters or bombers, for four 14,700-tonne assault ships ran into political opposition. But that was before Japan got worried about North Korean missiles and nuclear arms.
Bad history. Korea was a Japanese possession before World War II and China was invaded after the Manchurian incident in 1931. This type of poor historical research is what I would expect from something like the New York Times, not a respectable paper.
Are we taking bets on whether Mitsubishi Heavy Industries wins the "scrapping" bids to purchase CV 34 and CV 66?!
So, you want a budget-conscious aircraft carrier? What could be cheaper than buying one (or two) for "scrap" that are already built, that already have structurally sound landing decks, and then either refitting it/them or else designing an external towing system to push 'em around?
The Japanese had at least one giant submarine during WW2 that had two small bombers on board. The sub could surface, they would attach the wings, and then off they flew.
If you want to be really stealthy and modern, simply combine the best of both worlds.
Light carriers should be submersible. It's not like it hasn't been done before. Either a deck-mounted catapult, a float-plane design, or the use of Harrier-style fighters should be readily available for such a concept off-the-shelf.
The Japanese completed 3 or 4 I-400 class subs built specifically to bomb the Panama Canal. The IJN was always fixated the biggest...
While Asians in general are credited with having high IQs, one must regard the Japanese in almost another category. Their technology rivals/surpasses ours in many areas. Warfare is moving way beyond physical assets. If anyone can come up with an effective missle-defense system, it's the Japanese.
Once a system like that is deployed, aggressors are vulnerable to advanced offensive systems that rely on sophisticated technology that others can barely comprehend even if provided the blueprints (hint).
Commanded by Major Charles Sweeny, Bocks Car and its accompanying aircraft took off from Tinian Island and headed for its primary target, an arsenal in the middle of the industrial city of Kokura. Arriving over Kokura, it was determined that the bombardier could not clearly identify the target due to heavy smoke and haze. The bombardier was under strict orders not to drop the bomb by radar ; a visual approach had been mandated by General Groves.There was a conventional raid on Tokyo which caused more fatalities than either atomic raid. Curtis LeMay noticed that unlike the Germans the Japanese had very little triple-A and none that worked at higher altitudes. He also noticed that Japanese cities had exceptionally high fuel loading - combustables per square mile. An incinderary raid from 15,000 feet was like tossing a match into a haystack.Two more [attempts] which took about 55 minutes, were made to locate the target but to no avail. It was then decided between the weaponeer and Major Sweeny to divert to the secondary target which was Nagasaki. Arriving over Nagasaki quite low on fuel, it was determined that Bocks Car could make only one pass before it had to head back to Tinian Island. Again, clouds obscured most of the city, but at the last minute an opening revealed the target point and Captain Kermit Beahan dropped the bomb visually at 11:58.
See also, "When can we have that bomb?
The S-1, with a fully assembled MS-1 seaplane on deck. |
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One could be named 'annihilator', the other 'obliterator,' obviously peacekeeping, nothing to see here. Or they could be named 'justice' and 'judgement,' to put peoples' minds at rest.
Check out some of the designs proposed for future US carriers and scale down:
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/cvn-77.htm
Subs man, SUBS!
The ChiComs's would $#!t bricks over it too.
They even pulled off the only arial bombing ever suffered by the continental US in '42 (at least until 9/11), launched from a sub. Killed several old growth redwoods.
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