Posted on 08/06/2013 9:24:35 AM PDT by Carbonsteel
Japan has unveiled its biggest warship since World War II, a huge flat-top helicopter carrier.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.sky.com ...
“I wonder what it would take for them to launch fixed winged aircraft from this new “destroyer”.”
10 days to install a catapult.
VTOL.
Odd looking bow....
VTOL would be easy. Non-VTOL would launch with JATO, but couldn't recover unless arresting gear was installed and the deck signficantly strengthened, which would be a huge redesign.
It is a 27,000 ton carrier cvapable of carrying up to 30 aircraft, though the Japoanese indicate that they will only carry 9-10.
They already have two smaller carriers like this, the 20,000 ton Hyuga Class, but this one (and there will be one more) is larger and has cleared the fliught deck of their CIWS and other equipment, and added a large deck edge elevator.
The Izumo, which has a flight deck that is nearly 250 metres (820ft feet) long, is designed to carry up to 14 helicopters.
Japanese officials say it will be used in national defence - particularly in anti-submarine warfare and border-area surveillance missions.
Impressive photos at the source. And I say: GOOD FOR JAPAN! They will need as many of these as they can reasonably build given the coming impotency of the U.S. Navy from a deadly combination of queering and sequestering.
It’s big, but it isn’t hugh.
It is no bigger than our own helicopter carriers.
Landing hasn’t always been a requirement for Japanese pilots.
Ouch!
Yepperdoodle. The ability to project power south of Okinawa is going to be the key JMSDF mission in the years ahead. Not in any expansionist sense, but to be able to protect what is theirs. One thing for sure, they cannot afford to give China a single inch on any issue.
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