1st Japanese-Built F-35A Officially Unveiled at Nagoya FACO

[outlaw162]

Spud,

Humor is such a personal thing.

I'm envious, I wish I'd have come up with that and Madrat's model desig....

(....all I could think of was 'but they make such bloody good cameras')

[Gamera]

Monday, 18 December 2017:
JASDF, based at Misawa AB, Aomori Prefecture.

Misawa AB continues preparation for JASDF F-35.

Today, JASDF T-4 #769 when landing, tail fin has new mark [emblem].
Fans think new mark related to new JASDF F-35 temporary squadron training begins.

JMOD F-35 acquire plan is 42 airplanes total.
Fiscal year 2017, one airplane.
Fiscal year 2018, nine.
Fiscal year 2019-2022, six each.
At fiscal year 2022 end, 34 airplanes.

Fiscal year 2018, create 302nd Hikoutai.
Fiscal year 2020, create 301st Hikoutai.
(Article reports 302nd first, 301st second.)

JASDF PR when asked new mark in photos, answered new mark is for F-35 squadron(s), but did not answer whether 302nd Hikoutai would use this new mark.

Early December 2017, one of fiscal year 2018 airplanes, after it assembled at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Komaki Minami factory, Aichi Prefecture, stopped at Misawa AB, on its way to USA for final capabilities confirmation.
Fiscal year 2017 one airplane had not arrived at Misawa AB.

https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=2017 ... webtoo-l02
https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=2017 ... 2.view-000

[Gamera]

Thursday, 31 August 2017:
JMOD announced fiscal year 2018 budget request, included JASDF squadrons movements plan.

302nd Hikoutai [302nd Squadron] will convert from F-4EJ Kai to F-35A, and move from Hyakuri AB to Misawa AB.

In 2016 October, 301st Hikoutai moved from Nyuutabaru AB to Hyakuri AB.

In fiscal year 2017, Misawa AB will create new F-35A temporary squadron, and assign one F-35A.

In fiscal year 2018, at Misawa AB, this F-35A temporary squadron will become first F-35A operational squadron, the new 302nd Hikoutai.

In fiscal year 2020, Misawa AB will create second F-35A operational squadron.
3rd Hikoutai with F-2 will move from Misawa AB to Hyakuri AB.

http://flyteam.jp/news/article/83646

[gc]

Japan said to be interested in acquiring F-35Bs

A report by Tokyo Shimbun says Japan is considering the purchase of F-35Bs so that it can deploy fighters further south in the Okinawa Prefecture.

The Japan Self-Defense Force is barred from deploying military aircraft to Shimochijima airport, which has the longest runway in the Ryukyu Islands. Therefore, defense officials are thinking of using the F-35B at airports with shorter runways.

Also, the deployment of F-35Bs on the Izumo-class helicopter destroyers are bound to draw controversy during current laws. The ships will have to be modified with ski-jumps and upgraded aviation fuel storage facilities. Tokyo might even build a new-class of ship to handle the F-35B, according to the article.

Officials are still mulling whether to convert some F-35As under order to the B-model or buy new jets.

http://alert5.com/2017/12/26/japan-said ... ng-f-35bs/

[Corsair1963]

http://www.jeffhead.com/worldwideaircra ... /22ddh.htm

[Corsair1963]

The Izumo is slightly larger than the Italian Aircraft Carrier Cavour. Which, will operate F-35B's.....

Cavour / Izumo

Displacement ~30,000 tons / ~30,000 tons

Length 800 ft / 815 ft

Beam 95 ft / 110 ft

[spazsinbad]

Plenty of images of CAVOUR Ski Jump in this collection:

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=Cavo ... V1TBrADZvM:

[Corsair1963]

The Cavour is really half Aircraft Carrier and half Amphibious Ship. Honestly, hard not to be impressed with the Italians on this one.....As the ship is extremely capable for a ship of her size and displacement.


Cavour aircraft carrier design

The ship has a standard displacement at full load of 27,100t, an overall length of 244m and a sustained speed of 27kt. The carrier’s runway is 180m×14m with a 12° ski jump. It can accommodate up to 1,202 people on board, including the ship’s crew of 486, 211 aircrew, an amphibious command force of 140, and San Marco Battalion of 360, plus an extra 90 troops if required.

A strong feature of the ship is its high flexibility in operational terms. It is able to carry out the functions of an aircraft carrier as well as the transport of wheeled and tracked vehicles, for both military and civil missions. The aircraft hangar can accommodate 100 light vehicles or 24 main battle tanks for amphibious missions. The ship can also support four LCVP landing craft. There are two 30t elevators for aircraft and two 15t elevators for armaments

http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/num/

[usnvo]

The ships will have to be modified with ski-jumps and upgraded aviation fuel storage facilities. Tokyo might even build a new-class of ship to handle the F-35B, according to the article.

Although the article said they would need to add a ski jump, they could easily operate F-35Bs from the Izumo and Kaga without a ski jump. At 813ft long, they are less than 30ft shorter than a Wasp Class LHD. A ski jump would give them the ability to carry heavier loads and expand the flight envelope some, but they would have the same functionality with the F-35B as the USMC will.

[gc]

It is really pretty impressive how the Japanese can design and build such impressive warships with such ease. Anywhere else and there will be significant delays and cost overruns when building a 30,000 ton class flat top. All they need to do is to train a generation of pilots and maintainers proficient at STOVL operations from the sea and have a fleet of F-35B ready. I am sure they can make some hull tweaks to enhance ammunition/fuel storage of their Izumo class and churn out a couple of fix winged optimised pocket carriers relatively quickly if they see the need to.

[usnvo]

The Cavour is really half Aircraft Carrier and half Amphibious Ship. Honestly, hard not to be impressed with the Italians on this one.....As the ship is extremely capable for a ship of her size and displacement.

They are good ships but you have to be careful not to read "or" as "and"

They can be amphibious assault ships OR aircraft carriers, they can't be both. At least not at the same time. Or not and.

They can carry trucks and tanks OR aircraft on the hanger deck, not both. Or not and.

They can carry something like 12 F-35Bs OR 12 AW-101s but not at the same time. Or not and.

Well designed ships but not much different than any of the aviation capable ships in the same size range. They give up some capability in each area to be able to support both missions. A dedicated carrier would carry more aircraft, ordnance, fuel and support on the same displacement. A dedicated amphibious assault ship would carry more marines with their equipment and more helos on the same displacement.

[Corsair1963]

The Cavour is really half Aircraft Carrier and half Amphibious Ship. Honestly, hard not to be impressed with the Italians on this one.....As the ship is extremely capable for a ship of her size and displacement.

They are good ships but you have to be careful not to read "or" as "and"

They can be amphibious assault ships OR aircraft carriers, they can't be both. At least not at the same time. Or not and.

They can carry trucks and tanks OR aircraft on the hanger deck, not both. Or not and.

They can carry something like 12 F-35Bs OR 12 AW-101s but not at the same time. Or not and.

Well designed ships but not much different than any of the aviation capable ships in the same size range. They give up some capability in each area to be able to support both missions. A dedicated carrier would carry more aircraft, ordnance, fuel and support on the same displacement. A dedicated amphibious assault ship would carry more marines with their equipment and more helos on the same displacement.

Really..............

[neptune]

Japan said to be interested in acquiring F-35Bs

A report by Tokyo Shimbun says Japan is considering the purchase of F-35Bs so that it can deploy fighters further south in the Okinawa Prefecture.

The Japan Self-Defense Force is barred from deploying military aircraft to Shimochijima airport, which has the longest runway in the Ryukyu Islands. Therefore, defense officials are thinking of using the F-35B at airports with shorter runways.....Officials are still mulling whether to convert some F-35As under order to the B-model or buy new jets.....

....before the boat boys get their "knickers in a twist", Japan is a country of islands (Iwo Jima???, 750mi. from downtown Tokyo) and they wish to defend them without deploying unlimited troops and infrastructures like some big country, nearby. The "Bee" has the range, speed, etc. to utilize the existing airports and new (to be developed) pads for FOBs?? (inexpensive) with temporary fuel bladders/ weapons/ ground support; "No" boats required.

Now, for the boat boys; the two new helicopter carriers that Japan is building can also be reasonably modified for the "Bee" with or without a "ski-jump".

Which way will Japan progress, "IF" and when they decide to buy/ build the "Bee"; I'm thinking FOBs while they design the changes for the two helo-carriers or maybe not!

[gc]

Making Izumo an aircraft carrier would boost alliance

By Kenta Kamimura/Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer
The government’s latest move to mull remodeling the Izumo, the largest-class destroyer of the Maritime Self-Defense Force, into an aircraft carrier highlights its aim to further strengthen Japan-U.S. cooperation by utilizing a new vessel amid mounting tension surrounding North Korea.

However, if F-35B fighter jets are introduced to the Air Self-Defense Force and are installed on an aircraft carrier, it would virtually enable the ship to operate as an “aircraft carrier with attack capabilities.” The envisaged move would trigger a debate in a review of the National Defense Program Guidelines scheduled to be released at the end of 2018.

The government plans to temporarily use a remodeled Izumo as a refueling base mainly for F-35B fighter jets deployed by the U.S. military for operations to defend Japan, according to sources.

Under the security-related laws that took effect in March 2016, the Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. military have unified more of their operations. In May, the Izumo and other MSDF destroyers conducted “U.S. military ship protection” measures — operations in which a Japanese vessel defends a U.S. supply ship in peacetime.

MSDF supply ships on a few occasions have refueled U.S. Aegis-equipped vessels positioned in the Sea of Japan to watch North Korea’s missile launches.

A senior Defense Ministry official said, “If an [MSDF] aircraft carrier were capable of refueling the U.S. military’s F-35Bs, there definitely would be a demand from the U.S. military, making it a symbol of strengthening the [Japan-U.S.] alliance.”

Within the government, there also is a future plan for the ASDF to have F-35B jets as carrier-based planes.

However, the SDF’s possession of an aircraft carrier has been frequently raised in the Diet for discussion about whether an aircraft carrier falls into the category of “armed forces,” the possession of which is prohibited in Paragraph 2 of Article 9 of the Constitution.

In April 1988, then Defense Agency Director General Tsutomu Kawara told the Diet that the SDF shall not be allowed to possess an intercontinental ballistic missile, a long-range strategic bomber or an aircraft carrier with attack capabilities, clarifying the interpretation of the Constitution. Since then, his statement has been established as the government’s stance.

As a result, the government intends to gain public acceptance by limiting the attack capabilities of a remodeled Izumo and using it for the purpose of defending remote islands and protecting MSDF vessels.

In fact, the Izumo has a relatively small body compared to aircraft carriers possessed by other countries, with its capacity estimated to be sufficient to carry about 10 fighters. It is dwarfed by vessels the size of the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, which can carry up to 50 jets.

The government is considering having an aircraft carrier because it contemplates “possessing the capability to strike enemy bases with North Korea in mind,” a government source said.

By possessing an aircraft carrier, even though not a large one, Japan could expand the flight range of fighter jets heading to attack North Korea’s territory, thus boosting the capability to strike an enemy base.

In the medium and long term, the government also plans to improve deterrent power against China, which has been actively advancing its maritime expansion and boosting military buildup.

Concerning the capability to strike enemy bases, the government stance is that Japan is allowed to have such a capability under the Constitution, but will refrain from possessing it in consideration of the nation’s exclusively defense-oriented policy.

However, there are mounting calls within the government and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to possess the capability as the country faces the rapid development of North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs.

Japan will review the National Defense Program Guidelines at the end of 2018, and whether to possess the capability to attack enemy bases will be a focal issue.

Having requested funds in the fiscal 2018 budget for introducing long-range cruise missiles that can attack targets on the ground, the Defense Ministry has made strategic moves to make it possible to have the capability to attack enemy bases.

The SDF has been steadily making preparations for the various equipment it would need to thoroughly execute such an attack.Speech

http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0004148553

Seems like their intentions are getting clearer and clearer. First construct flat topped "destroyers". Then procure the F-35A. Then declare interested in the F-35B. Then allow USMC F-35Bs to land on the ships to practise refuelling. We all know what will happen next.

[spazsinbad]

It would be great - if not impossible - for peeples to post the same article twice but hey I did it first on a different thread:

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=20426&p=384310&hilit=Shimbun#p384310

Nominally this thread is about the title: 1st Japanese-Built F-35A Officially Unveiled at Nagoya FACO