Japan Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

Here are those GREAT pics of the Izumo coming into port. This happened yesterday in Japan I believe. Really lets you appreciate how big this vessel is...and what she really is.

Blackstone said:

IJN Izumo is pretty, very pretty. But! Can it fight?

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Sorry but IJN Izumo is this ship.

SamuraiBlue said:

Sorry but IJN Izumo is this ship.

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Yes, SamuraiBlue, your right and I was wrong. Sincere apologies.

Japan Coast Guard Selects Dassault Aviation’s Falcon 2000 Maritime Surveillance Aircraft

The Japan Coast Guard (JCG) has selected the Falcon 2000 Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA) proposed by Dassault Aviation to enhance its operational fleet. The Falcon 2000 MSA, based on a Falcon 2000 LXS (range 4000 NM), is designed for a broad range of missions including maritime surveillance, piracy control, drug interdiction, fishery patrol, law enforcement, search and rescue, intelligence and reconnaissance. It offers the best combination of size, payload, speed, range and acquisition and operating costs on the market.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has succesfully repaired the first of 13 Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) F-2 fighter aircraft damaged by the earthquake and subsequent devastating tsunami that hit Japan on 11 March 2011. The aircraft were hit by massive floods while parked at their home base of Matsushima that day.

The repaired F-2B two seat aircraft flew again on 21 April from the Mitsubishi factory in Komaki in central Japan. Upon landing at Misawa airbase in Northern Japan, it was welcomed and applauded by 600 personnel. The aircraft was hit by massive floods while parked at Matsushima, homebase of 21 Hikotai (squadron). A total of 18 F-2s were hit, with 13 deemed repairable. Most aircraft ended up damaged by the salt water, but some were extensively damaged as they were thrown against buildings by the waves.

The loss of that many F-2s would have been quite a toll for the relatively small, 94-strong Japanese F-2 fleet. Tokyo therefore asked The US manufacturer was involved in the F-2’s development earlier. The Japanese fighter aircraft shares many similarities with Lockheed Martin’s F-16.
Meanwhile, Matsushima airbase is being reinforced with concrete walls to protect it for the sea. That work is expected to be finished later this year, after 21 Hikotai will return from Misawa airbase. The squadron was based there since that dramatic day in 2011



94 F-2 build which 62A, 32B, 1 yet lost before + 5.
3 Combat sqns with 20 and a OCU.

Lockheed(and US) owns all of the technology hidden within the black box and cannot be touched or replaced by Japan under contract. Without the agreement Japan could have fixed these planes years ago.
One of the biggest reason why Japan is pursuing indigenous technological development of various weapons these days.

I just can't get enough!

I have to say that the Izumo is an IMPRESSIVE vessel. There is no doubt what she is...and she looks good in it.


I am looking forward to seeing her deck loaded with Sea Hawks and Osprey...hehehe...and perhaps some day a half dozen F-35 Bravos.

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Pacific Sentinel said:

The US and Japan announced on Monday new guidelines for bilateral defense cooperation, allowing Japan's self defense forces to take on a more ambitious global role that the Shinzo Abe administration has been seeking.

Under the new guidelines, revised for the first time since 1997, Japan will have the right to exercise collective self-defense and be able to defend other countries that may come under attack, said the US Defense Department in a news release. It also allows for increased regional and global cooperation in the US-Japanese alliance.

A joint statement of the New Guidelines for US-Japan Defense Cooperation was released after the US and Japanese foreign and defense ministers met in New York City Monday morning.
The US welcomes and supports the ongoing efforts to develop the legislation, which is to reflect Japan's policy of Proactive Contributions to Peace and its July 2014 cabinet decision, the statement said.

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Naval Today said:

Two Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) ships, “JS BUNGO” and “JS YAEYAMA” arrived at the Port of Colombo on a goodwill and supply visit on 13th October 2014.
They were welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy in accordance with naval traditions on arrival.

The head of the mission, Commander Minesweeper Division 51, Captain Keiji Yoshida and Ships’ Commanding Officers, Commander Takuya Sanada and Commander Kiyose Omatsu paid a courtesy call on the Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Navy, Rear Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne at the Naval Headquarters in Colombo. They held cordial discussions and exchanged mementos as a gesture of goodwill.

“JS BUNGO” (shown in the picture above) is a Minesweeper tender commanded by Commander Takuya Sanada. It has a length of 141 meters, displacement of 5700 tons and can carry 160 naval personnel onboard.

“JS YAEYAMA” is a Minehunter/sweeper commanded by Commander Kiyose Omatsu. It is 67 meters in length, has a displacement of 1000 tons and can carry 60 naval personnel onboard.

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The Uraga class MST are very impressive vessels. The JMSDF has two of them, the Uraga MST-463, an this one, the Bungo, MST-464.

They are as big as most destroyers, displacing in at almost 6,000 tons. They are armed with a 76mm gun, two Phalanx CIWS, and all of the implements necessary for counter mine warfare.

They are designed to act as the flagship for a flotilla of minesweepers providing logistics and for the other minesweepers. They are able to refuel, provide food, water and other supplies, as well as carry various mission-related equipment that are inconvenient to have aboard the smaller ships permanently. These vessels also have extensive medical facilities, having even a decompression chamber for divers.

From a Mine Countermeasures task force standpoint, the vessels also are equipeed with the command and communication facilities to allow them to be the flagships of mine warfare fleets. One of these vessels can command and logistically support a fleet of 12-15 minesweepers.

Their helideck and hanger were designed to be large enough, and strong enough specifically for the MH-53E Sea Dragon mine countermeasures helicopters that the JMSDF operates.

In addition to the support, tender, and Command and Control functions, these vessels are capable of performing all of the mine countermeasures missions themselves. Using specialized mine hunting sonar and unmanned underwater , the two ships locate, classify, and destroy mines..

They are also designed to cut cables on moored mines and generate sound signals and magnetic fields that detonate bottom mines. They can also embark an EOD team used the that dive on, identify, defuse and destroy or remove mines from the water.

As I say, they are very capable counter mine vessels...probably among the best in the world.