Japan unveils new carrier-like warship, largest in navy since WWII

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 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.

The tensions over the islands, along with China's heavy spending on defense and military modernization, have heightened calls in Japan for beefed-up naval and air forces. China recently began operating an aircraft carrier that it refurbished after purchasing from Russia, and is reportedly moving forward with the construction of another that is domestically built.

To get a better feel for just how big the new Japanese 22DDH, Izumo, DDH-183 that was just launched really is, I thought I would compare it directly to the Wasp Class LHD of the US Navy. So, here is a port side view of the USS Bataan, LHD-5, the fifth US Navy Wasp Class, and from the same perspective on the port side, the view of the newly launched JMSDF Izumo, DDH-183.

The Wasp is 30 feet longer, it is about 10 feet taller, but it's beam is actually 3-4 feet less, although it's flight deck is a good 15-20 feet wider.

As you can see, the new Japanese vessel is a very large ship. Even at 30,000 tons full load, which is 3,000 tons larger than they admit to, I believe if fully outfitted with aircraft and fuel, it will be closer to 35,000 tons. The Japanese are already building the second vessel in this class.

BTW, in the Sea Control role, the Wasp Class can carry 20+ AV-8B Harrier II aircraft, or ultimately 20+ F-35B Joint Strike Fighters. Given the size of the Japanese vessel, you have to believe it could do something similar if necessary and if the Japanese purchase the aircraft. That would be something to watch for.

If you look at their Aegis “destroyers”, at full load they are as heavy as our cruisers. Germany and Japan did this before the first World War as a way of getting around the treaty restrictions. Japan could not have battleships so they made carriers and the rest is history.

Please do the research. The Japanese absolutely could build battleships. They had a large battelship fleet. You should have seen the scale of their plans that were scrapped by the Washington Treaty of 1922! They were going to build 4 new battleships and 4 new battlecruisers, almost matching American plans for the time. The CONFERENCE ON THE LIMITATION OF ARMAMENT, aka the Washington Treaty of 1922 stopped an arms race that would have bankrupted Japan. It did however allow the construction of aircraft carriers and the conversion of battleship and battlecriuser hulls into aircraft carriers. The Japanese had already built the Hosho, the first purpose built carrier. The Amagi class battlecruisers Amagai and Akagi were converted into carriers. The Amagi was damaged in the 1923 earthquake, so the Tosa class battleship, Kaga, was converted. The US converted two Lexington class battlecriusers (Lexington and Saratoga). The British had already converted three "Large Light Cruisers: Courageous, Glorious, and Furious.

As for the Aegis destroyer, do you know anything about the modern US navy? Our Arleigh Burke class destroyers are almost the size of our Ticonderoga Cruisers. (btw, the Ticos were originally designated as destroyers) The 4 Japanese Kongo class destroyers are basically Japanese versions of the Flight 1 Arleigh Burke class destroyer. The 2 Atago-class destroyers are Flight IIA Arleigh Burkes.

Yea yea. They could have battleships but not the same amount as the Allies.

I’m an AF guy so I don’t claim to be an expert. We are just chatting here.

The basic idea is that they can’t have “offensive” weapons by their constitution. A cruiser is an offensive weapon so they call their “cruisers” destroyers. Carriers are offensive so they call them “helo carriers” which is defensive. etc etc.

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