Japan will reportedly fly surveillance drones from its destroyers as a possible prelude to building aircraft carriers.
Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force may begin flying unmanned surveillance drones from destroyers at sea as a possible prelude to procuring aircraft carriers, local media is reporting.
According to The Japan Times, “ The Maritime Self-Defense Force is considering deploying fixed-wing unmanned reconnaissance aircraft that can take off from and land on destroyers. ” If the plan is approved, the MSDFs intend to research these operations extensively.
“ Depending on its research, Japan might someday build an aircraft carrier equipped with fighter jets, ” The Japan Times report said, citing numerous unnamed sources. No details were provided about the affiliations of the sources that might help evaluate the credibility of their claims. However, the paper did report that a source in the Defense Ministry had said that the studies will not lead the MSDF to operate fighter jets from surface ships in the future. The Defense Ministry source did say that unmanned drones would be deployed on the ships, however, because these can operate in “ dangerous areas in emergencies. ”
The move to operate aircraft from surface ships is likely to spark concern and criticism from some states in the region, particularly China, which insists that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is seeking to break loose from the country’s post-WWII Pacifist constitution. As the report noted, although the MSDF currently flies helicopters from some of its ships, it has no experience flying fixed wing aircraft from its vessels because such a move could be construed as an offensive military capability, which Japan’s constitution prohibits.
Japan’s decision to only consider using (presumably unarmed) reconnaissance drones at this time was likely made, at least in part, with an eye toward deflecting the almost certain criticism that the move will provoke. By starting with unarmed aircraft, Japan could seek to gradually seek to make the region comfortable with it operating fixed wing aircraft from surface ships. Moreover, even if the Defense Ministry source is being truthful in saying that only drones and not fighter jets will be flown from Japanese ships, unmanned aircraft will become increasingly capable of being used in some of the same ways as bombers and jets in the years ahead.
Still, the decision to use surveillance drones is also consistent with Japan’s strategic interests. In particular, as Tokyo’s dispute with Beijing over the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands has dragged on, Japan has taken a number of steps to increase its surveillance capabilities over some of its outer lying islands. This has most certainly included fielding a capable drone force. As The Diplomat has previously reported, Japan intends to procure RQ-4 Global Hawk drones in the coming years to augment the ones the U.S. already maintains in Japan. The Japan Times report also quoted its sources as saying that Japan hopes to procure 19 of the new RQ-21 Blackjack small tactical unmanned drones currently being tested by the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.
One issue Japan will encounter if it moves forward with the plan is that its current destroyers are not equipped with takeoff and landing equipment for aircraft. It’s possible that one of the Izumo-class helicopter destroyers Japan is currently building and testing will be upgraded to have this capability. Japan unveiled the first of these new, large helicopter destroyers last year, which some in China called an “ aircraft carrier in disguise. ” Some have speculated that the larger size of the Izumo-class vessels was due to Japan’s desire to launch V22 Ospreys off the ships. However, the larger size may also allow Japan to use them to launch drones.
The 3,000-Troop Amphibious Unit Would Be Similar to U.S. Marines Corps
TOKYO—Japan plans to establish a 3,000-troop unit specializing in amphibious operations " as swiftly as possible," the defense minister said, publicly outlining details of the new unit for the first time as tensions with China continue over disputed islands.
Japan has undertaken an ambitious project to create a force similar to the U.S. Marine Corps, and Japanese Self-Defense Force Troops have been receiving increasingly frequent training from their U.S. counterparts in the past few years.
A plan to strengthen amphibious capabilities was laid out in Japan's new defense guidelines released in December. In detailing some of the specifics Sunday, Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said the new force is expected to include units specializing in handling types of equipment currently unfamiliar to Japanese troops, such as amphibious vehicles and the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft.
He said the new unit will likely be based on the southern island of Kyushu or in the Nansei Islands, which include Okinawa, considering its island mission. He added that Tokyo plans to negotiate with local governments to find a host community.
In discussing the need to Japanese protect islands, Mr. Onodera didn't mention China or Japan's territorial dispute with Beijing over small islands in the East China Sea.
" Our nation has numerous remote islands and islands of various sizes, and they give us the basis for our exclusive economic zone that ranks sixth in the world, " Mr. Onodera told troops during a tour of Kyushu on Sunday. "That makes it important to provide defense for islands over the coming years."
An exclusive economic zone is an area surrounding a nation's territory in which it has the right to explore natural resources.
Currently, a Kyushu-based, 700-troop Ground Self-Defense Force unit is designated as a specialist amphibious unit, and it has been undergoing intensive training.
To train large numbers of personnel in a short time, Japan plans to step up exercises with the U.S. military, particularly the Marines, Mr. Onodera said. This week, troops from the two nations are finishing a seven-week amphibious exercise called " Iron Fist 2014 " at Camp Pendleton in California, with 270 Japanese troops and 500 U.S. troops participating.
Mr. Onodera said Japan hopes to use training facilities to be built on the U.S. Pacific island territory of Guam as some U.S. Marines transfer from Okinawa.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a news briefing Monday that the Japanese government's actions, especially in the military sphere, were being closely watched by the international community for "historical reasons."
" We hope the Japanese side will make good on its commitment of pursuing the path of peaceful development and make a contribution to regional peace and stability, " he said.
Japan is eyeing a total of 42 F-35A Lightning IIs, with 38 of those built in Nagoya by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI)
Nagoya has always been the focal point of Japan’s aviation industry. Even more focus was added to that on Tuesday 15 December with the start of the final assembly of the first Japanese built F-35 in the Final Assembly and Check-Out (FACO) facility in Nagoya. The process should finish in 2017 with roll out of the aircraft and delivery to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF).
The aircraft, designated AX-5, has officially begun the mate process, where major components of the aircraft are joined together to form the aircraft’s structure. The aircraft will in fact be the fifth to be delivered to Japan. Four more aircraft are being assembled in Lockheed Martin’s facility in Forth Worth, with the first one ready in 2016.
Japan unveils new generation 8×8 wheeled armored personnel carrier
Jan 11, 2017
The Japan Ground Self Defense Force’s has unveiled its new generation 8×8 wheeled armored personnel carrier (APC).
The new 8×8 wheeled armored personnel carrier will weigh 20 tonnes and be able to reach speeds of up to 90 km/h on paved roads, the MoD said. The crew consists of the commander, driver, gunner, and 8 dismounts who can rapidly enter and leave via a large power-operated ramp in the hull rear.
The crew consists of the commander, driver, gunner, and 8 dismounts who can rapidly enter and leave via a large power-operated ramp in the hull rear.
Source in Japan Ministry of Defense said that the new 8×8 wheeled armored personnel carrier will eventually replace the ageing Type 96 APCs that are still in service with the Japan Self-Defense Forces.
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