Japan Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force's latest "helicopter destroyer" (and first real helicopter carrier), "Hyuga", was launched today!

Re: JMSDF 16DDH Carrier Takes shape

Obi Wan Russell said:

As I said earlier, the Japanese don't have to aquire the capability (F-35Bs) to be able to present the 'threat' that they could upgrade at short notice if they so chose. As things are they can with all honesty put their hands on their hearts and say "What carriers? These are just DDHs," whilst giving a knowing an inscrutable look to their regional neighbours as if to say "you upgrade and we upgrade, and we can do it quicker than you!". It's all about potential. Classic Sea Power strategy, Risk. Seems the JMSDF still teach Mahan to their cadets...

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Well, they've launched her Obi Wan. A very impressive vessel...nice lines and a lot more capability than advertised.

Here are some pics (click on the thumbnails):

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Hehehe...only the Japanese would call that a destroyer...and clearly purely for political purposes IMHO. With the PARS and with a 16 cell VLS carrying ESSMs, that's 64 ESSMs for self defense, and two 20mm Phalanx CIWS, they will be well defended...and probably never out of company of at least one Kongo. Embarked with a Kongo and an Atago along with a couple of other JMSDF DDGs, they will form a very impressive helo strike group.

FuManChu said:

The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force's latest "helicopter destroyer" (and first real helicopter carrier), "Hyuga", was launched today!

[qimg]http://ca.c.yimg.jp/news/20070823172549/img.news.yahoo.co.jp/images/20070823/jijp/20070823-00000035-jijp-soci-view-000.jpg[/qimg]

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More pics:

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Only the Japanese would call that a destroyer...and clearly purely for political purposes IMHO. With the PARS and with a 16 cell VLS carrying ESSMs, that's 64 ESSMs for self defense, and two 20mm Phalanx CIWS, they will be well defended...and probably never out of company of at least one Kongo. Embarked with a Kongo and an Atago along with a couple of other JMSDF DDGs, they will form a very impressive helo strike group.

Re: JMSDF 16DDH Carrier Takes shape

Jeff Head said:

Hehehe...only the Japanese would call that a destroyer...and clearly purely for political purposes IMHO. With the PARS and with a 16 cell VLS carrying ESSMs, that's 64 ESSMs for self defense, and two 20mm Phalanx CIWS, they will be well defended...and probably never out of company of at least one Kongo. Embarked with a Kongo and an Atago along with a couple of other JMSDF DDGs, they will form a very impressive helo strike group.

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She is certainly a long way from the early destroyers of the WW1 era. I suppose it will perform one of the traditional destroyer functions of screening the fleet against submarine attack!

Tas

Jeff Head said:

Only the Japanese would call that a destroyer...and clearly purely for political purposes IMHO.

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Just as the Invincibles were first called "through-deck cruisers" - of course it's politics, though not something we should go into for obvious reasons!

With the PARS and with a 16 cell VLS carrying ESSMs, that's 64 ESSMs for self defense, and two 20mm Phalanx CIWS, they will be well defended...and probably never out of company of at least one Kongo. Embarked with a Kongo and an Atago along with a couple of other JMSDF DDGs, they will form a very impressive helo strike group.

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Absolutely. They'll probably form the core of any future MSDF taskgroups.

Re: JMSDF 16DDH Carrier Takes shape

Tasman said:

She is certainly a long way from the early destroyers of the WW1 era. I suppose it will perform one of the traditional destroyer functions of screening the fleet against submarine attack!

Tas

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No doubt she will use her helos for that purpose. She is also a very powerful Command and control centerpiece.

Imagine an extremely powerful SAG/Sea control force with these vessels. Seven vessels consisting of a Hyuga (one of these), a Kongo, an Atago, and two each of Takanami and Murasami DDGs. Add a couple of Osumis and you have a fairly powerful Amphibious assault group too.

Here's pictures of each:








IMHO, the JMSDF is really stepping things up in the western Pacific. Soon they would be able to field two of these groups, either way (SAG/Sea Control or Amphibious Assault, and the launch of these new Hyuga carriers is making a large statement to that effect.

Re: JMSDF 16DDH Carrier Takes shape

The Hyuga was named after the battleship Hyuga, an Ise class battleship that was later converted into a hybrid carrier/battleship in 1944. Since this ship is not really a "carrier" and not really a destroyer but a "hybrid", is Japan telling the world something? If the second one is named ISE, the other Hybrid battleship, then that could be it. Maybe the follow on class will be named Akagi and Kaga.

FuManChu said:

Just as the Invincibles were first called "through-deck cruisers" - of course it's politics, though not something we should go into for obvious reasons!



Absolutely. They'll probably form the core of any future MSDF taskgroups.

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Well, with these vessels, the JMSDF will be able to put to sea a very credible SAG/Sea Control task force with a Hyuga, a Atago, a Kongo, and a couple of each Takanamis and Murasamis. Very powerful indeed.

If you add in two Osumis, then you have a very credible Amphibious Task force as well.

The JMSDF is really stepping things up in the Western Pacific. Very few navies have the modern capabilities, the numbers, or the experience that they have. We're glad to have them as allies.

Re: JMSDF 16DDH Carrier Takes shape

IDonT said:

The Hyuga was named after the battleship Hyuga, an Ise class battleship that was later converted into a hybrid carrier/battleship in 1944. Since this ship is not really a "carrier" and not really a destroyer but a "hybrid", is Japan telling the world something? If the second one is named ISE, the other Hybrid battleship, then that could be it.

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That's a good point. Let's see what number two is christened. Clearly, with these vessels, and the other modern and capable combatants they have built, whatever else, the JMSDF is making a large statement in WestPac. The capabilities are becoming such that you could take the "SD" letters out of their JMSDF.

Of course, their constitution says otherwise...but what they are putting in the water makes its own statement, the written words notwithstanding. Other nations recognize this.

Re: JMSDF 16DDH Carrier Takes shape

IDonT said:

The Hyuga was named after the battleship Hyuga, an Ise class battleship that was later converted into a hybrid carrier/battleship in 1944. Since this ship is not really a "carrier" and not really a destroyer but a "hybrid", is Japan telling the world something? If the second one is named ISE, the other Hybrid battleship, then that could be it.

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You've raised a good point. When HMS Invincible was ordered she was still being referred to as a 'Through Deck Cruiser/ Command Cruiser' rather than a carrier and she was named after a WW1 Battlecruiser instead of recieving a carrier name. The second unit was nearly named HMS Lion but by then there was growing acceptance that the class were carriers, and the second and third units recieved carrier names (Illustrious and Indomitable, later changed to Ark Royal). The new CVFs Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales do not have traditional carrier names either, but the reasoning is again more political than naval. If the Japanese ships had recieved traditional carrier names (eg Kaga, Akagi, Hiryu, Soryu, Shokaku, Zuikaku... you get the gist) then that would have been a very unambiguous political statement about the true nature of the ships, but by taking the path they have they can emphasise the 'non carrier nature' or at least 'not a true carrier' aspect whilst giving a knowing look to those of us watching from the sidelines.