An undated photo of JS Izumo (DDH-183) underway. The ship commissioned on March 25, 2015. JMSDF Photo
Posted on 03/26/2015 6:28:21 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
A 24,000-ton helicopter carrier has formally entered the fleet of Japan’s Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) on Wednesday making the ship the largest warship Japan has fielded since the close of World War II.
The commissioning ceremony JS Izumo (DDH-183) — the first of two for the JMSDF — was held in Yokohama and attended by Defense Minister Gen Nakatani.
Billed by the Japanese as a platform to assist in anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and humanitarian aid and disaster relief (HADR) operations, the ship has flared regional tensions in neighbors— China especially — who view the ship as a power projection platform with a historically aggressive name.
“The original Izumo, an armored cruiser that participated in the Battle of Tsushima, was purchased with reparations from the first Sino-Japanese War,” wrote USNI News contributor Kyle Mizokami in 2013.
“There is little doubt all parties, particularly the Chinese, are aware of the lineage.”
Japanese paper, Asahi Shimbum, quoted an unnamed JMSDF official saying the ship would be of particular help against the growing number of Chinese submarines.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.usni.org ...
An undated photo of JS Izumo (DDH-183) underway. The ship commissioned on March 25, 2015. JMSDF Photo
Always looked a little odd seeing them overhead.
With obama as an ally.... don’t blame em....
They wanted to name it the “Nimitz”..but it’s already taken...
They could use another ship called the Yamamoto.
Their H-53's are in excellent condition - they are Zen-maintenance Masters....
Seems like they could have placed that Phalanx in a better spot.
How so?
I’d think that, in heavy seas and taking green over the bow, having the CIWS that far forward would cause problems.
But then again, at the end the Invincibles had their CIWS all the way upfront. As does Ocean ...
I was thinking the same thing, it does seem rather odd.
They could use another Yamato!
She’s comparable in size to Shokaku.
May she serve in a better cause, and always return home.
with the equipment on the roof and the ‘pop out’ on the side. This looks like it was built by an RV manufacturer.
Heck yeah. China is knocking at their door and it ain’t pretty.
Japan needs to bring back the old name for the Fleet—The Imperial Japanese Navy—Invest in some impressive ships to counter the chinese and their carriers. They need to bring it home to their people that they could face nuclear death and occupation by China—they still remember the Rape of Nanking—want to see the Rape of Toyko? If given the chance the Chinese would love to topple Japan and take them off the world stage.
It is a self-tracker, having it there gives it a pretty fair sweep of the compass. it isn’t like they’ll need the centerline on that ship.
Sure, the issue I’d think is more having it getting pummeled by waves breaking over the bow in rough seas.
USN carriers (except the Lexingtons) had open bows with gun mounts up until the Forrestals. The Midways and many Essexes ended up being retrofitted with enclosed “hurricane” bows because the benefits provided by having defensive guns out there wasn’t worth the downsides. Which included damage to the mounts resulting from heavy weather (which, on a couple of the Essexes, also resulted in the forward flight desk collapsing)
here’s to a re-birth of Hihon Kaigun.
That “destroyer” flattop is larger than the WW2 Hiryu class aircraft carrier
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