Japan Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

Re: Japan's military build-up

That is your scenario for conflict and that is way I said JMSDF is not first class navy , despite large number of modern ships .

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You'd be incorrect. Have you ever been to sea and operated with the JMSDF? I have. Those mates are first rate and squared away. they know how to use their equipment. Even back when I served.

My son was once a master instructor of sonar technology for the USN who taught many JMSDF sailors. stated that of all the foreign navies he instructed the Japanese were the most knowledgeable..and their ships were always squared away. The ships he served on in two WESTPAC deployments worked closely with the JMSDF..and he states. "Those fellas sure do know what they are doing. They are squared away!"

Re: Japan's military build-up

bd popeye said:

You'd be incorrect. Have you ever been to sea and operated with the JMSDF? I have. Those mates are first rate and squared away. they know who to use their equipment. Even back when I served.

My son was once a master instructor of sonar technology for the USN who taught many JMSDF sailors. stated that of all the foreign navies he instructed the Japanese were the most knowledgeable..and their ships were always squared away. The ships he served on in two WESTPAC deployments worked closely with the JMSDF..and he states. "Those fellas sure do know what they are doing. They are squared away!"

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Another Navy that is 'squared away' is the Royal Singaporean Navy.

Re: Japan's military build-up

Well Jeff seems to be keeping the Navy's end up. And so we touch on the airforce. JASDF it a fairly modern force its High Fighter now is the F15Kai licenced production of the Eagle the Japanese have loaded it with a lot of their own goodies. Including there own air to air missiles. Low he the New F2 p derivative of the American F16 series F2 is bigger and oriented more to the ground attack surface attack role built in Japan with a total package of Japanese equipment. Finally the last of the F1 a ground attack craft ready for the museum. JASDF is looking to replacements for most the Shin shin is a possible new high as the US barred export of the F22 (a foolish choice if you ask me) they looked to their own to try and equal. Failing that offered to them would likely be Eurofighters or Stealth Eagle. They are on the F35 list with A for sure. B is still conjecture. Tanker is the KC767J with high AEW E767 low E2J Hawkeye. In transports the Japanese in their own way the current C2 is C130 class or better powered by turbines as opposed to props the CX moves up the lift class for sure. P3is a good hunter and PX looks better.
Me though I am more into the grunt world and the first of that is the choppers that move the troops around top lifter for the JSDF is the Chinook a old bird but hard to beat, faster then you think and with a good size passenger or cargo load. It looks like the SDF is eyeing the Osprey which would offer faster speed and range then their current rotary wing fleet although not as much cargo as the Chinook. The SDF medium lift range is crowded right now prime movers are the H60J series in ASW CSAR and transport they also still have UH1 Hueys last year contracts were signed to develop possible replacements with Kawasaki for a UH1replacement based on their OH1 Ninja and Mitsubishi for H60. JMSDF uses a variant of the AW101 for some jobs. In attack and scout some OH6 and a few AH1 are counting down till retirement OH1 and AH64J fill the top spots.
JGSDF by far has the most locally built gear. Tanks, Apc's, Ifvs all indigenous. They may wear German camoflage patterns but they are distinct in what they pack.

Re: Japan's military build-up

Correction kwaigonegin - it is the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). The present RSN's predecessors were "Royal" when they were (1) a British Colonial Volunteer Reserve Force designated as the Straits Settlements/Malayan Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve - Singapore Division (formed in April 1934). This Division actively participated in WW II (Far East Campaign), & (2) the Royal Malaysian Naval Volunteer Reserve where several of its personnel were transferred from the British Colonial Reserve - MRNVR, and were mobilized during 1963-1966 hostilities, when Malaysia was formed. This history is in a book to be published and distributed in the UK and Malaysia in August/September of this year. All royalties go to Naval Charities in the UK and Malaysia.

Incidentally, the RSN although very well trained has a small force compared to the JMSDF and a several others in the region. Singapore believes in cooperating with our neighbors and friends including the USN and other Regional Navies.

kwaigonegin said:

Another Navy that is 'squared away' is the Royal Singaporean Navy.

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Re: Japan's military build-up

TerraN_EmpirE said:

Well Jeff seems to be keeping the Navy's end up. And so we touch on the airforce. JASDF it a fairly modern force. They are on the F35 list with A for sure. B is still conjecture. Tanker is the KC767J with high AEW E767 low E2J Hawkeye. In transports the Japanese in their own way the current C2 is C130 class or better powered by turbines as opposed to props the CX moves up the lift class for sure. P3is a good hunter and PX looks better.

Me though I am more into the grunt world and the first of that is the choppers that move the troops around top lifter for the JSDF is the Chinook a old bird but hard to beat, faster then you think and with a good size passenger or cargo load. The SDF medium lift range is crowded right now prime movers are the H60J series in ASW CSAR and transport they also still have UH1 Hueys. JMSDF uses a variant of the AW101 for some jobs.

In attack and scout some OH6 and a few AH1 are counting down till retirement OH1 and AH64J fill the top spots.

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Well, as I understand it, the JASDF/JMSDF has the following aircraft currently:

095 x F-2 Fighters (Indigenous Japanese fighter)
260 x F-15J/DJ Eagles (License Built in Japan)
100 x F-4EJ, RF-4EJInterceptor and Recon Aircraft (To be replaced by new F-35A and F-15DJ aircraft)
200 x T-4 Trainers (Indigenous Japanese jet trainer)
004 x E-767 AWACS Aircraft
013 x E-2C AEW Aircraft
004 x KC-767J Tanker Aircraft
090 x P/EP-3C Maritime Patrol/ASW/ELINT Aircraft (JMSDF)
010 x P-1 Kawasaki Maritime Patrol/ASW Aircraft (Indigenous Japanese) (JMSDF)
027 x BAe-125 SAR Aircraft
015 x C-130H Transport Aircraft
030 x C-1A Kawasaki Transports (Indigenous Japanese)

That's a total of 465 fighter/attack aircraft, 200 jet trainers, 90+ support aircraft, 100 Maritime/ASW aircraft and 45 Transports. A total of 860+ front line aircraft.

120 x SH-60J/K ASW Helicopters (License built in Japan) (JMSDF)
010 x CH-53E Mine Warfare Helicopters (JMSDF)
008 x AW-101 Mine Warfare Helicopters (JMSDF)
020 x UH-60J SAR Helicopters (JMSDF)
040 x UH-60J SAR Helicopters
020 x CH-47J Transport Helicopters
200 x UH-1B/H/J Light multi-purpose Helicopters (J is Japanese design and build)
040 x OH-6 Recon/Observation Helicopters (Indigenous Japanese)
088 x AH-1S Super Cobra Attack Helicopter
012 x AH-64 Apache Attack helicopter

That's a total of 120 ASW helos, 18 Counter-mine helos, 100 Attack helos, 60 SAR helos, 20 large transport helos, and 240 multi-purpose/recon/observation helos. A total of 560 front line helicopters.

Of the total of 1,420+ aircraft, 260 of them belong to the JMSDF.

A group of very well ordered and capable air forces.

Re: Japan's military build-up

According to Wikipedia only 213 F-15J/DJs have ever been built, and around that number is in service... along with 80ish F-4s... I think there are 80ish F-2s as well because 94 F-2s were built in total including 4 prototypes, but a dozen were written off due to the tsunami.

But overall I think the numbers are right.



I'm more interested in seeing whether they can maintain their numbers of modern ships and fighters in coming years, more specifically, whether they can afford it or not.

The only major shipbuilding programs the JMSDF have lined up appears to be their 22DDH and their akizuki DDGs, the latter of which will only have a run of 4 ships total. Not saying the JMSDF is lacking potent warships by any means, but unless they have more ship classes lined up for the future, I feel like their numerical advantage (compared to PLAN, at least) will start to ebb by 2020 as PLAN's production of 052D kicks into high gear, along with introduction of 055. With the mass production of 054A, the PLAN's frigate fleet is already qualitatively and quantitatively competitive if not slightly ahead of the JMSDF's frigate force.
6 aegis destroyers in the form of the atagos and kongos, even with 4 additional akizukis, will be uncomfortably close to the PLAN's 2020 high end DDG force of 6 052Cs, X number of 052Ds (6?) and maybe one or two 055s. But then again, JMSDF has the freedom to concentrate their ships in a more local area than PLAN's three fleet distribution.

As for the air force, their next major fighter acquisition seems to be the F-35, but numbers on that seem tentative and some speculate it may turn out similar to the JASDF's AH-64 purchase, where a small number were initially purchased but no follow on airframes due to prohibitive cost.
However the JASDF's fixed wing ASW fleet is very formidable. Its AEWC fleet could do with an overhaul simply to more recent AESA tech, but are sufficient numerically, for their needs.

Re: Japanese Return to Militarism!

plawolf said:

Oh, it's far far worse and more prevented than that. A recent film, called the Flowers of War, was heavily criticised in the west for being 'anti-Japanese' for its depiction of Japanese wartime atrocities.

The ignorance, arrogance and shamelessness of those 'critics' is truly breathtaking. I wonder if any of them would have dreamed of bashed any film depicting Nazi crimes as being 'anti-German'?

Mind you, the writer of that movie disgraced herself as well for actually having the indignity to try and excuse those depictions when she should have been educating those stupid critics and demanding they apologies. But sadly, only those Chinese who are secretly (or not so secretly) self-hating and suffering from a massive inferiority complex would have any chance in Hollywood. Any Chinese person with half a backbone and who does not kowtow to Hollywood whims would never be given half a chance to achieve anything in Hollywood, which is why China really needs to develop its own film industry to get its message across to the world uncensored by Hollywood and the special interests that controls it.

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of course PLAwolf, if the movie was directed by steven speilburg and was about jews being killed by nasty germans it will be very welcomed by them so called film critics. and you are very correct that china really needs to have a huge and vibrant film industry for 3 very important reasons. 1) propaganda 2) revenue 3) sheer entertainment. but its going to take a long time for Chinese film industry to raise their standards to the sophistication of Hollywood productions but if there is any country that has any chance to really create a film industry like Hollywood it is only china because no other country has that economy of scale. china's ticket revenue has already surpassed japan being the 2nd biggest In the world and china isn't even a fully developed country yet.

Re: JMSDF Akizuki Class DDG (19DD AEGIS-like)

Jeff Head said:

Basically the JMSDF has developed their own Battle Management System coupled with their own multi-band and multi-function radars, using the Mk-41 launcher and quad packed ESSMs. They carry 16 of Japans own VL-AROC missiles, and 64 ESSMs for each vessel, along with eight of their own SSMs. They displace 7,000 tons and are specifically for multi-role escort of high value units, and for escorting and station keeping with JMSDF AEGIS destroyers involved in the BMD role.

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Kongo Bodyguards.

Atago will be armed with SM-3 ?

Re: JMSDF Akizuki Class DDG (19DD AEGIS-like)

FORBIN said:

Kongo Bodyguards.

Atago will be armed with SM-3 ?

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All four Kongo vessels were already modified, Atago Class vessels were approved and funded in 2012.

Defense Industry Daily said:

Japan’s Fleet BMD Upgrades

December 10, 2012 - The US DSCA announces external link [PDF] Japan’s formal request to upgrade its 2 Atago Class AEGIS destroyers for ballistic missile defense, an estimated cost of up to $421 million.

The Atagos are a larger and more advanced derivative of the Kongo Class, with 96 vertical launching cells instead of 90, and improved helicopter handling facilities that include a hangar. They don’t currently have missile defense capability. This set of upgrades would bring them to BMD parity with their counterparts, and also upgrade a few other systems on board.

December 28, 2007 - Lockheed Martin Maritime Sensors and Systems of Moorestown, NJ receives a $40.4 million firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification to fulfill a Japan AEGIS ship program requirement to procure BMD Block 2004 capability for a Kongo Class destroyer. A subsequent Reuters report external link established that this is the 3rd AEGIS upgrade contract, and adds that

“A contract for the fourth ship, Kirishima, now looks set “to follow by year’s end, if not sooner,” said Ken Ross, a Lockheed spokesman in Moorestown, New Jersey.”

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Re: Japan's military build-up

Jeff Head said:

Well, as I understand it, the JASDF/JMSDF has the following aircraft currently:

095 x F-2 Fighters (Indigenous Japanese fighter)
260 x F-15J/DJ Eagles (License Built in Japan)
100 x F-4EJ, RF-4EJInterceptor and Recon Aircraft (To be replaced by new F-35A and F-15DJ aircraft)
200 x T-4 Trainers (Indigenous Japanese jet trainer)
004 x E-767 AWACS Aircraft
013 x E-2C AEW Aircraft
004 x KC-767J Tanker Aircraft
090 x P/EP-3C Maritime Patrol/ASW/ELINT Aircraft (JMSDF)
010 x P-1 Kawasaki Maritime Patrol/ASW Aircraft (Indigenous Japanese) (JMSDF)
027 x BAe-125 SAR Aircraft
015 x C-130H Transport Aircraft
030 x C-1A Kawasaki Transports (Indigenous Japanese)

That's a total of 465 fighter/attack aircraft, 200 jet trainers, 90+ support aircraft, 100 Maritime/ASW aircraft and 45 Transports. A total of 860+ front line aircraft.

120 x SH-60J/K ASW Helicopters (License built in Japan) (JMSDF)
010 x CH-53E Mine Warfare Helicopters (JMSDF)
008 x AW-101 Mine Warfare Helicopters (JMSDF)
020 x UH-60J SAR Helicopters (JMSDF)
040 x UH-60J SAR Helicopters
020 x CH-47J Transport Helicopters
200 x UH-1B/H/J Light multi-purpose Helicopters (J is Japanese design and build)
040 x OH-6 Recon/Observation Helicopters (Indigenous Japanese)
088 x AH-1S Super Cobra Attack Helicopter
012 x AH-64 Apache Attack helicopter

That's a total of 120 ASW helos, 18 Counter-mine helos, 100 Attack helos, 60 SAR helos, 20 large transport helos, and 240 multi-purpose/recon/observation helos. A total of 560 front line helicopters.

Of the total of 1,420+ aircraft, 260 of them belong to the JMSDF.

A group of very well ordered and capable air forces.

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Yep, Japanese ASW air assets outclasses everyone in the region and almost everyone around the world other than the USN! It was Japan's role within the Cold War US alliance to be the regional ASW expert and it has remained so by a wide margin.