Posted on 08/27/2015 2:09:27 PM PDT by DFG
Japan has launched the second in its new class of helicopter carrier — the largest Japanese ships since World War II — in a Thursday ceremony in Yokohama.
The 24,000-ton Kaga (DDH-184) — built by ship builder Japan Marine United — bears the same name as the World War II Imperial Japanese Navy carrier Kaga that was part of Pearl Harbor attack and was sunk in the Battle Midway.
The ship follows JS Izumo (DDH-183) which entered service in the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) in March.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.usni.org ...
Your eyes are deceiving you. That’s not a carrier; it’s a destroyer. Doncha know Japan can’t have offensive weapons like carriers?
Its a destroyer that launches care packages.
Yo,
Chi-coms
How do ya like em now.
Can you say Nanking?
Considering the fact it's just a little over 1/2 the displacement of one of our Amphibious Assault Ships, it's not good for much else.
It is lightly armed.
Can it carry fixed wing aircraft?
It could not trap or launch CTOL aircraft but, depending on the heat resistance of the flight deck, it might be able to support the landing and takeoff of V/STOL aircraft like the Harrier or F-35B. And it might be able to refuel them if it has the correct fuel types aboard and can connect to the aircraft.
But you would not be able to base these aircraft aboard the ship because it would lack the maintenance facilities to keep them flying and the ship probably does not have the ordnance storage needed to keep them supplied with bombs and rockets for very long.
They have some V-22s on order so there is a good chance the deck is heat proof. Ospreys are even worse than fix wings jets for deck heat because the exhaust from their turbo props just blasts straight down at close range the whole time their engines are on.
This little carrier does get ASW aircraft at sea in large enough numbers to work well as the center of a hunter/killer group, though, so it gives Japan capabilities they don't now have and do need given the increase in the number of Chinese and other subs in the region.
If it can handle the Osprey as well, Japan can extend the duration of operations as well since the Osprey can work pretty well as a COD aircraft.
JMHo
Coincidentally, the US Navy is introducing the new Douglas SBD Dauntless II dive bomber.
Kaga? Really?
Assuming its elevators can take an F-35, a ski-jump would be a pretty neat addition for optimum performance.
In fact, I' bet the only reason it was built without one is that there are political factions in Japan that could be persuaded to go along with an ASW helicopter carrier but would balk at something clearly capable of operating strike aircraft as being too much like an offensive weapon.
A carrier named Kaga? Where are the Akegi, Hiryu and Soryu?
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