Posted on 08/06/2013 5:26:58 AM PDT by Freeport
YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) -- Japan on Tuesday unveiled its biggest warship since World War II, a huge flat-top destroyer that has raised eyebrows in China and elsewhere because it bears a strong resemblance to a conventional aircraft carrier.
The ship, which has a flight deck that is nearly 250 meters (820 feet) long, is designed to carry up to 14 helicopters. Japanese officials say it will be used in national defense - particularly in anti-submarine warfare and border-area surveillance missions - and to bolster the nation's ability to transport personnel and supplies in response to large-scale natural disasters, like the devastating earthquake and tsunami in 2011.
Though the ship - dubbed "Izumo" - has been in the works since 2009, its unveiling comes as Japan and China are locked in a dispute over several small islands located between southern Japan and Taiwan. For months, ships from both countries have been conducting patrols around the isles, called the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyutai in China.
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
Something tells me that if push came to shove Japan could suddenly produce some nukes in very short order.
Wow. She’s beautiful. I’ll have to go and have a look.
Their knowledge of history is probably sketchy at best so it'll go right over their heads.
I believe that Japan is referring to it as a 'destroyer' for the same reason that the Soviet Union used to refer to its aircraft carriers as 'cruisers'. Japanese law prohibits the building of carriers or other offensive weapons, just like treaty prevented aircraft carriers or other capital ships from passing through the Dardanelles without Turkish permission. So it's subterfuge in both cases.
To be fair, they’ve got some yellow, green and red up there too.
I noticed the three flags up front. I recognize the first two, but what’s the one on the right with what apears to be squiggly lines?
Or, the Yamamoto.
Japanese Navy got a really good deal on the beauty. Zero % financing for 10 years.
But this one can launch 14 choppers filled with ninjas. And not the motorcycle.
Japan doesn’t have to project naval power over great distances, like we do. A nuclear carrier isn’t needed.
Could VTOL’s launch from it?
"It's not an offensive weapon, it's strictly defensive. For humanitarian use only." Signed, Joe Isuzu.
My guess would be it's the builder.
A few more pics are here:
http://news.sky.com/story/1125173/japan-unveils-largest-warship-since-wwii
That would be a Class XXXXVI hitch...........
One thing is slightly surprising...the island has none of the “stealth” angles that we see in modern warships?
VTOL jets don’t need catapults........
I noted that as well. Is it a normal naval vessel flag for Japan?.......
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