Is Japan converting helicopter carriers into aircraft carriers?

Japan wants to procure around 100 F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. These also include F-35B STOVL (Short-Take-Off-Vertical Launch) fighter aircraft. Japan's Navy (JMSDF) wants to use the F-35B on the new helicopter destroyers "Izumo" (see photo) and "Kaga", which would have to be converted to function as an aircraft carrier. For constitutional reasons, Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Forces (JMSDF) are not allowed to own aircraft carriers that are considered offensive weapons. Therefore, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is initiating bills in the Japanese parliament with the aim of removing the ban on aircraft carriers from the constitution. The 248 m long “IZUMO” class helicopter carriers each displace 27,000 t and have 14 helicopters on board.

Author: Dieter Stockfisch

For more information about the “IZUMO” class, we recommend the article “Japan’s New Helicopter Carriers” by Christian Führer, published in theEuropean Security and Technology August 2017.