Japan's newest destroyer, the Izumo

[Karnak]

Japan revealed its newest, and largest, destroyer today, the Izumo:


This destroyer is the largest warship built in Japan since WWII.
http://news.yahoo.com/japan-unveils-largest-warship-since-130234811.html

[Rino]

     The destroyer label kept throwing me off, it looks like an LHA assault carrier.

[Karnak]

Yes, it is a helicopter carrier with a nearly 820ft flight deck.  No catapult or ramp for launching fixed wing aircraft though.

[Karnak]

Aerial view of it:

[Gman]

I wonder if any of Japan's order of F35's will include the F35B.  If that surface is tough enough they could easily operate 1/2 a squadron from that ship.  No wonder China is so happy about it, ha ha.

[rpm]

No, it's not a carrier. Japan can't have a carrier because it's against their Constitution. It's a destroyer.

[Karnak]

Apparently there are reports that there were design changes made to it so that it can support Osprey and F-35 operations.

[Zacherof]

Does japan have the capacity to build a full size carrier?

[Karnak]

Does japan have the capacity to build a full size carrier?

Of course.  They are just not supposed to because of their constitution.  Hence, this is a "destroyer".

Also, being just under 820ft, this is pretty much as big as anybody's carriers other than ours and the Royal Navy's new Queen Elizabeth class.

HMS Queen Elizabeth building:

[Zacherof]

Of course.  They are just not supposed to because of their constitution.  Hence, this is a "destroyer".

Also, being just under 820ft, this is pretty much as big as anybody's carriers other than ours and the Royal Navy's new Queen Elizabeth class.

reminds me of a time when bombers were actually "airliners"

[Karnak]

reminds me of a time when bombers were actually "airliners"

Dunno.  I think this is a lot more open.  It is a warship up front and nobody looking at it is going to mistake it for an actual destroyer.  That is true of its preceding class as well.  China is pushing hard in the region and I don't think anybody expects Japan to try to repeat the Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere imperialistic crap they did before.  I think this is a pretty obvious defensive buildup so that they China can't just push them around.

The only nations involved in that region that realistically can stand up to China are the US, India and Japan.  India is building carriers of its own as well.  Japan is building two Izumos.

[thrila]

Hehe, similar to how our invincible class carriers were termed through deck cruisers so we could have them.

[Zacherof]

Upon reading on englands new carrier I'm a little impressed.
No more sloped flight deck. 
Wonder why they would go with a gas turbine as appose to a nuclear power plant.
Cost maybe?

[titanic3]

Dunno.  I think this is a lot more open.  It is a warship up front and nobody looking at it is going to mistake it for an actual destroyer.  That is true of its preceding class as well.  China is pushing hard in the region and I don't think anybody expects Japan to try to repeat the Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere imperialistic crap they did before.  I think this is a pretty obvious defensive buildup so that they China can't just push them around.

The only nations involved in that region that realistically can stand up to China are the US, India and Japan.  India is building carriers of its own as well.  Japan is building two Izumos.

Wouldn't South Korea be a part of that? Or are they weaker than I realize?

[Zacherof]

Wouldn't South Korea be a part of that? Or are they weaker than I realize?

they might be weaker than we realize