Posted on 09/15/2011 6:21:16 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Japan to Build New Helicopter Carrier
Japan plans to build a 19,500-ton aircraft carrier capable of housing helicopters after China launched its first own aircraft carrier, Chinese media reported on Wednesday. Japan already has two helicopter carriers -- the Hyuga deployed in March 2009 and the Ise deployed in March 2011 -- but the planned new vessel will be bigger.
The 22DDH is scheduled for deployment in 2015. It will be 248 m long and cost around US$1.04 billion. It is 30 percent bigger than the Ise and can carry 14 helicopters. The Ise measures 197 m, has a displacement of 13,500 tons and can carry 11 helicopters.
Although dwarfed by China's aircraft carrier, which is 320 m long and can carry 50 fighter jets, the Japanese vessel will be equipped with the latest U.S. weapons systems to maximize its capability. It will be equipped with the Raytheon air and missile defense system, which has so far only been installed on U.S. vessels, and 11 missile launchers.
Japan had several aircraft carriers during World War II, but since its defeat it has focused on developing helicopter carriers, which are deemed purely defensive. It appears to be bolstering defenses to counter China's increasing submarine warfare capabilities. The new carrier will house mainly helicopters designed for anti-submarine warfare operations.
There are increasing calls within Japan to modify the 22DDH for fighter jets. But critics say it would be unrealistic to build such an aircraft carrier since its navy has only 45,000 personnel, and the already indebted government would run deeper into debt.
Chinese media speculated that Japan could buy Lookheed Martin F-35B stealth fighters capable of vertical takeoff and landing and base them on the new carrier.
Japan is also speeding up the development of stealth fighters and drones. Since 2009, it has invested 39 billion yen (around W562.2 billion) on development of an indigenous stealth fighter codenamed ATD-X. A prototype is expected to be unveiled in 2014, and development is to be complete in 2016.
Japan's Defense Ministry is also spending 15 billion yen this year on developing drones and robots. One unmanned helicopter has already been deployed with the Self-Defense Forces, while four prototype drones have been developed.
englishnews@chosun.com / Sep. 15, 2011 13:57 KST
Two years? Do you mean that they could begin construction in two years or launch it in two years from laying it’s keel? If you mean launch it, I really have to wonder about that statement as it takes us on average around four years to build one and we’ve been building them since the Forrestal was launched back in the early 50’s. The Koreans have never built a carrier, much less a supercarrier so I don’t know about that two year time frame.
If cancelling it would hurt the military, then look for Obama to cancel it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKF6dXiL-9c&feature=related
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Enterprise is due to be retired soon. Why not give it to Japan...I’d be a superb platform, could pack a real punch, and Japan has ships that are compatible with a carriere task force. We could probably train Japanese crews in 6 months. I know that Enterprise is near the end of her useful life, but in the Japanese Navy, she wouldn’t have long extended deployments, and would be close to Japan for any repairs as needed..
Makes sense to me, but I doubt the Japanese government could sell a nuke carrier to their public, especially after the Fukushima #1 situation.
We’ve homeported a CVN in Japan for years, IIRC..
As this article mentions the JMSDF has a strength of about 45K personnel. You would need approximately 5,000 men on a carrier like the Nimitz. Barring the US and probably China, no nation can afford such deployment of men without comprising other requirements. A ship the size of Britain’s proposed CVF class or France Charles De Gaulle would be better.
I know we’ve had a conventioannly powered carrier there, at least until 2008. Do we have a nuke in Yokusuka now?
So the crew requirements are 3000..and to deploy on board however many copters they choose, according to the threat..well thats thus transferrng existing assets...
It wouldn't be easy, but if any naval power could do it, the Japanese could..they could have the platform up and running in a few months..jointly crewed as the US sailor train Japanese on the job...and it would get the Chicoms attention..
3,000 is still about 10 times as much as personnel as they deploy off their current Hyuga class baby-carriers. A navy needs to transition carefully before deploying so many men; which is why the Chinese appear to have taken so long to get the Varyag running.
This is a key point which most Americans overlook.
We think everything is all about us, the US, versus in this case, China.
Well, it's not.
China has many other neighbors, all of whom will be vitally interested in China's growing military strength.
If they all work together, China could easily find that every military move it makes is soon matched not only by US counter-responses, but also responses from countries like Japan, Korea, India, Australia, Taiwan and others.
So, in what sense are China's long-term interests served by driving an arms race amongst countries throughout Asia?
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