Japan Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

Jura said:

By the way, what do think about the buildup of Japanese amphibious force?

Quote, To strengthen protection of Japan’s outlying islands, the Defense Ministry will set up a preparatory force next fiscal year that will eventually become a Japanese version of the U.S. Marines, sources said.

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Quote, A thousand Japanese troops have been learning how to recapture territory in the face of enemy fire. While the shoreline may be California, the skills they are building could one day be used closer to home.

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Another option would be to get that naval gun as I suggested

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I think it is well over due.
There are many inhabited isles along the Okinawa archipelago that require protection and a force to take back in case a militant group seized them.
The southern isles are fairly remote and small so it would be difficult to just aim the insurgents without harming the people living on the island. It's more similar to a hostage situation in a closed compartment in which the JGSDF would do a forced entry and neutralize the enemy while rescuing the hostage.
This is also the reason why I do not think naval guns would be a favored choice. It might work on an uninhabited island but most islands have people on them.

Japan Requests AWACS Upgrade
Sep. 27, 2013 - 11:30AM | By AARON MEHTA
WASHINGTON — Japan is looking to purchase a Mission Computing Upgrade (MCU) for its four E-767 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) platforms.

The potential deal, disclosed on the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) website Friday morning, would net contractor Boeing an estimated $950 million.

The MCU would include a quartet of Electronic Support Measure systems, eight AN/UPX-40 Next Generation Identify Friend or Foe systems, eight AN/APX-119 IFF Transponders, and four Raytheon-developed KIV-77 Cryptographic Computers. Also included in the proposed deal are support and test equipment, as well as engineering and technical support.

“The proposed sale will provide Japan with an upgraded AWACS command and control capability,” the DSCA announcement reads. “This upgrade will allow Japan’s AWACS fleet to be more compatible with the U.S. Air Force AWACS fleet baseline and provide for greater interoperability. Japan will use this enhanced capability to provide for its self-defense.”

The deal will require “multiple trips” to Japan involving both the US government and contractors over a period of eight years.

The E-767 is an AWACS platform designed for Japan. It is similar to the US E-3 Sentry, some of which are based at Kadena Air Force Base in Japan.

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The E767 is basically the E3's electronics package placed in a 767 air frame the Japanese had requested E3's but Boeing had sold all the 707 Air frames and ended the line. They had the electronics package and the 767 so Japan ended up with a unique type.

TerraN_EmpirE said:

The E767 is basically the E3's electronics package placed in a 767 air frame the Japanese had requested E3's but Boeing had sold all the 707 Air frames and ended the line. They had the electronics package and the 767 so Japan ended up with a unique type.

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It's basically a Chevy instead of a Ford carrying the same equipment. The air frame really doesn't matter as long as it can lift the amount of equipment and generate the electricity required.

SamuraiBlue said:

It's basically a Chevy instead of a Ford carrying the same equipment. The air frame really doesn't matter as long as it can lift the amount of equipment and generate the electricity required.

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Boeing built both air frames so its More like they took the police package form a Crown Victoria and loaded it into a Ford Mustang.

TerraN_EmpirE said:

The E767 is basically the E3's electronics package placed in a 767 air frame the Japanese had requested E3's but Boeing had sold all the 707 Air frames and ended the line. They had the electronics package and the 767 so Japan ended up with a unique type.

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The E-767 would also have some commonality with the JASDF's fleet of KC-767s I think, which means lower cost, easier maintenance, and greater availability for all the related aircraft, I think.

I think that worked the other way around the KC contract was done in 2001 came after the E (early 1990s) but both are based on the 767 200ER

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

Bltizo said:

Well how well armed a ship is completely depends on how well armed its equivalents are.
<snip>
Bazan and hobart are both in Akizuki's weight class, feature aegis, and are equipped with 48 Mk 41s. That is 16x4 extra ESSMs, or 16 tomahawks or SM-2s or even SM-3s on top of what Akizuki offer, despite having a similar max displacement.

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Due to Japan's defense policy they do not arm ships with tomahawks, so we cannot compare offensive firepower in that department. The Akizuki class is built with local area air defense as it's mission and it excels (at least on paper) in that role. The secondary purpose is to pour money into the domestic defense industry. While the Aegis ships use imported US systems, the Akizuki uses many domestically made systems at great cost. This gives the Japanese some level of independence from US technology and US imports.

Regarding the AAM-4, I suspect that the US would not want it deployed in mk.41 VLS. Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but I recall that the Koreans had to built their own VLS for the kdx-3 for domestic (Korean) missiles. US has no problems with selling or licensing military hardware to Japan, but I doubt they would welcome Japan as a competitor in the arms market in the future. The Akizuki will probably never be equipped with AAM-4 (or another domestic SAM), but the Japanese is fine with developing the capability today and deploy in future ships.

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

adeptitus said:

Due to Japan's defense policy they do not arm ships with tomahawks, so we cannot compare offensive firepower in that department.

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Fair point, but the fact is that is still an absolute 16 less SM-2s or SM-3s or VL ASROCs they could fit onto akizuki, which is a bigger ship than hobart, bazan, etc etc.

The Akizuki class is built with local area air defense as it's mission and it excels (at least on paper) in that role. The secondary purpose is to pour money into the domestic defense industry. While the Aegis ships use imported US systems, the Akizuki uses many domestically made systems at great cost. This gives the Japanese some level of independence from US technology and US imports.

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I don't disagree with any of that, I'm just a little bemused they chose to give it a VLS load that would be more suitable to a frigate instead. OF course, 19DD is still a formidable and well armed AAW vessel, which I'm not denying.

Regarding the AAM-4, I suspect that the US would not want it deployed in mk.41 VLS. Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but I recall that the Koreans had to built their own VLS for the kdx-3 for domestic (Korean) missiles. US has no problems with selling or licensing military hardware to Japan, but I doubt they would welcome Japan as a competitor in the arms market in the future. The Akizuki will probably never be equipped with AAM-4 (or another domestic SAM), but the Japanese is fine with developing the capability today and deploy in future ships.

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I thought the KVLS onboard sejong were just a license produced version of Mk 41? You're right though, it looks like it only uses korean munitions. I'm not sure if this is due to politics/military industrial competition though.
They'd also need to substantially modify AAM-4, at least add a booster, if they want to give it decent range at all (ground launch versus air launch kinematics at play), and perhaps ESSM the fins as well.

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

Bltizo said:

Fair point, but the fact is that is still an absolute 16 less SM-2s or SM-3s or VL ASROCs they could fit onto akizuki, which is a bigger ship than hobart, bazan, etc etc.
I don't disagree with any of that, I'm just a little bemused they chose to give it a VLS load that would be more suitable to a frigate instead. OF course, 19DD is still a formidable and well armed AAW vessel, which I'm not denying.
I thought the KVLS onboard sejong were just a license produced version of Mk 41? You're right though, it looks like it only uses korean munitions. I'm not sure if this is due to politics/military industrial competition though.
They'd also need to substantially modify AAM-4, at least add a booster, if they want to give it decent range at all (ground launch versus air launch kinematics at play), and perhaps ESSM the fins as well.

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The Akizuki class is approx. 500 tons larger than its predecessor, the Murasame. Both are equipped with 32 cell VLS. On the Murasame class it's said that the standard load is 16 ASROC & (correction) 64 ESSM (4 x 16). That is likely to be sufficient for local area AD duty while escorting the Kongo and Atago class (which are equipped with SM-2/3).

The Akizuki class is "under armed" in the same way that the Izumo class is "not an aircraft carrier". The first is a billion dollar AAW DDG serving the role of a Frigate, and the latter is a carrier serving the role of a helicopter flat-top. The Japanese are demonstrating the capability and potential of their domestic defense industry. Although the XRIM-4/AHRIM was cancelled, we should have no illusion that the Japanese are capable of building their own AAW Destroyers without importing Aegis systems from the US, just as they're capable of building larger aircraft carriers.

If the systems look under-armed today it's because of their defense policy, which will eventually change ('normalized", as they call it). Once that occurs they cannot always depend on the US to export military technology to Japan -- the US would prefer to impose various restrictions on weapon exports. The Japanese are preparing for the day when their domestic defense industry will step up to the plate and, in the future, compete against US and other countries in international military exports.

On the down side, because of Japan's current defense policy, budget, and procurement numbers, the cost of developing domestic military systems will remain high. They won't build ships in large numbers and cannot export them (for now), so the cost per ship or system, including R&D, will be very expensive.

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

adeptitus said:

On the Murasame class it's said that the standard load is 16 ASROC & 128 ESSM (4 x 16). That is likely to be sufficient for local area AD duty while escorting the Kongo and Atago class (which are equipped with SM-2/3).

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I believe you meant to say 16 ASROC and 64 ESSM. 128 ESSM would only be if they used all 32 cells for ESSM.

I believe an excellent loadout would be 8 ASROC and 96 ESSM for the anti-air role, and the 16 ASROC and 64 ESSM for a more heavily weighted ASW role.

The Akizuki has a far better sensor suite and battle management suite than the Murasami, or the Takanami (which were really the follow ons to the Murasami Class)...they are calling the Akizulki sensor suitethe Japanese-AEGIS. Very similar to what the Hyuga class carries.

Now, as to size, the Hobart is a 7,000 tons vessel and the Akizuki is just under that. The Bazen is a 6,250 ton vessel. It is true that the Hobart and the Bazen classes are fitted with 48 cell Mk-41s, but their role is different. They are more AAW dedicated while the Akizuki retains a strong ASW role. In addition, both the Hobart and the Bazen are going to have numerous cells taken up with the longer range Standard missiles while the Akizuki is meant to have a mid range coverage provided by a lot of ESSMs That is its role. It will be providing that mid-range coverage defense for the Kongo and Atago class vessels it escorts who will have the longer range covered, and for the Hyuga and Isumo classes...which woill probably also have one of the larger AEGIS vessels accompanying them as well.

The Akizuki, as I have said on numerous occassions is going to perform its anti-air and ASW roles very well for the specific roles it was intended. They are very good vessels.