Japanese aircraft carriers

[MartG]

With its usual level of accuracy, the Daily Mail is reporting that Japan will shortly have it's first aircraft carriers since WWII and will purchase F-35Bs to fly off them ( https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6507343/J... )

The Japanese F-35B purchase isn't anything new - in fact a 1/72 scale Japanese F-35B kit was available back in 2011 !

The carriers in question are the JMSDF's existing helicopter carriers, which will be modified to operate the F-35B. Modifications will include upgrades to the deck lifts to handle the F-35B - there are also rumours that an angled flight deck will be added.

[aeropilot]

They can't call them aircraft carriers though.......

Why would they need angled flight deck for STOVL.......??

Either straight deck as per USMC flat tops or straight deck and ski-jump as per our QEC's if that wanted to operate our way. I would think following USMC would be most likely though.

[Lurking Lawyer]

aeropilot said:

They can't call them aircraft carriers though.......

I'm sure the RN will let them borrow the "through-deck cruiser" moniker....

[AshVX220]

aeropilot said:

They can't call them aircraft carriers though.......

Why would they need angled flight deck for STOVL.......??

Either straight deck as per USMC flat tops or straight deck and ski-jump as per our QEC's if that wanted to operate our way. I would think following USMC would be most likely though.

They may be having an angled deck so they don't have to re-position the Phalanx on the bow.....just a thought.

[RizzoTheRat]

Rumour they were built with this potential upgrade in mind
http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201802230054.h...

[MartG]

RizzoTheRat said:

Rumour they were built with this potential upgrade in mind
http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201802230054.h...

Interesting that 'sloping decks' are mentioned - which I take to mean a ski-jump

[RizzoTheRat]

I guess you could take that to mean either a ski ramp or an angled deck, but if it was part of the original design considerations I'd have thought a ski ramp would make sense, as others have pointed out there's no real need for an angled deck if operating F35b.

[Wobbegong]

MartG said:

RizzoTheRat said:

Rumour they were built with this potential upgrade in mind
http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201802230054.h...

Interesting that 'sloping decks' are mentioned - which I take to mean a ski-jump

[MartG]

In related news, it seems Japan wants to trade-in some of it's older F-15s against new F-35s

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Japan-wants-to-se...