After its initial order of 42 F-35As, Japan plans to buy another 105 jets.
Interestingly this includes 42 F-35Bs, which are capable of vertical takeoff and landing
and could be deployed from Japan’s Izumo class warships.
Japan currently has around 200 F-15 fighters.
The aging fleet is approaching the end of their service life and needs replacement.
This move is seen by analysts as a response to increasingly severe security risk faced
by Japan from China.
The deal will be worth US $8.8 billion.
This move is one of the most tactically important news coming out from the Asia Pacific as it
has the potential to change the balance of power in the region.
In this video, Defense Updates analyzes why Japan's Izumo class warships armed with F35Bs
will be a potent challenge for China?
Let's get started.
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China has maintained very high economic growth over the last 20 years & has become a major
economic power.
This economic growth has funded a sustained increase in military budget year on year and
it now has the second largest defense budget, next only to the U.S
The heavy spending has resulted in the rapid modernization of its military forces.
China’s rise, as predicted by many experts is not peaceful.
In recent times, China has been very aggressive in its posturing.
Its activities are far off from being a sensible nation.
China’s corrosive behaviors in the South China Sea and neighboring areas has not gone
noticed.
Japan has been increasingly conscious of the fact that its territory which is surrounded
by waters is vulnerable to naval strikes.
Keeping this in view, one of Japan’s most top military priority has been to deploy jets
that can carry anti-ship cruise missiles
Article 9 of the Japanese constitution dictates that Tokyo will “forever renounce war as
a sovereign right of the nation … land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war
potential, will never be maintained”.
Under its strictly defense-oriented policy, Japan has maintained that it cannot possess
“attack aircraft carriers,” saying the vessels can be deemed offensive weapons that
exceed the minimum capacity Japan needs for self-defense in light of the Constitution.
But Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government has altered the nation’s post World War
II security policy over the past few years, most notably through new security laws that
largely expand the range of activities permissible by Japan's Self-Defense Forces.
When Japan’s Defense Ministry started mulling on buying F-35B for use on its Izumo class
warship, it marked a significant shift in security doctrine.
Izumo class is official a helicopter carrier class, meant to carry rotary blade crafts
of different types.
Izumo class currently has two vessels, Izumo and Kaga.
Izumo class displaces 27000 tons when fully loaded.
The ships have a speed of 30 kn or 56 km/h.
These can carry up to 970 personnel including crew and troops.
Each ship carries up to 28 aircraft.
This can include Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) helicopters, or Search and Rescue (SAR) helicopters.
But many experts had indicated even before the commissioning of the first Izumi-class
vessel that class has the capability to work as a traditional aircraft carrier.
China has a large submarine fleet and Izumo-class is seen as a way to tackle this threat, as
it can carry a significant number of Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) helicopters.
Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) helicopters are specially designed to detect and neutralize
enemy submarines.
Japan currently has about 102 SH-60 Seahawks ASW helicopters of different variants and
is expected to add another 80 new ASW helicopters.
The Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawks is a twin turboshaft engine, multi-mission United States Navy helicopter
based on the United States Army UH-60 Black Hawk and a member of the Sikorsky S-70 family.
The SH-60J is a version of the SH-60B for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
The SH-60K is a modified version of the SH-60J.
The SH-60J and SH-60K are built under license by Mitsubishi in Japan.
The helicopters are armed with the following weapons:
1. Up to three Mark 46 torpedoes or Mk-54s
2. 4 to 8 AGM-114 Hellfire missile
3. M60 machine gun or, M240 machine gun or GAU-16/A machine gun or GAU-17/A Minigun
4. Rapid Airborne Mine Clearance System (RAMICS) using Mk 44 Mod 0 30 mm Cannon
The F-35B is the U.S. Marines variant of the F-35 multi-role fighter made by Lockheed Martin Corp.
It matches the deck "footprint" of the Harrier.
F-35Bs can operate from existing Izumo class warships once modifications are made to the
bow, deck and other areas.
Some of the modification that will be needed include the application of heat resistant
deck coating.
These modifications will allow the Izumo class function as small aircraft carriers.
F 35s bring a lot of advantages over Japan’s current fleet of F15s.
It is stealthy, has much better sensors and has a far advanced Electronic Counter Measure suit.
Apart from the basic weapons package , Japan is expected to arm the F 35s
with Joint Strike Missiles (JSM).
Viewers may note that Norway's Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace and Japan's Ministry Of Defense
have signed a deal for JSM.
The important part is that JSM is a dual role weapon capable of anti-ship as well as land
attack missions.
The versatile missile is going to add a lot of teeth to the offensive capability of Japanese forces.
It has a range of roughly 350 miles or 560 km when using a normal trajectory whereas
a range of 175 miles or 280 km when using low altitude trajectory.
The JSM carries a 500 lb warhead making it powerful enough to neutralise most targets.
It has an elaborate navigation suite that includes GPS, INS, and terrain mapping.
So, Japan could deploy F35Bs armed with JSM for standoff strike missions against Chinese
land targets as well as warships.
Unlike fixed land based runways, Izumo and Kaga will provide mission flexibility.
With this move Japan would retain its position as one of the best-equipped air forces in
the region as well as in the world.
Plan to retrofit Izumo class warships had already triggered a backlash from China which
views it as contradicting Japan’s so-called “exclusively defense-oriented policy”
under the pacifist Constitution.
Thought the real reason for the outrage is that with this development Japan will be in
a better position to counter Chinese military.
On several occasion, China has said that in recent years Japan had exaggerated the “China
threat” as an excuse to expand its military.
The Chinese response underlines the growing uneasiness in China's strategic circles regarding
Japan’s military build up.
It is to be noted here that China is still struggling with its Chengdu J-20 fighter which
is supposed to be the main rival of F35s in case of a conflict with Japan.
Chinese J 20 uses Russian AL-31F engines which is the predecessor of AL-41F1 and it has struggled
to make an indigenous engine suitable for a 5th generation aircraft.
Also, the stealth capability of the Chinese J 20 is suspect.
Reports have emerged that a Sukhoi Su-30MKI of the Indian Air Force managed to detect
the Chinese Chengdu J-20 jet fighter.
Indian Air Force commander Arup Shaha said, "The Sukhoi's radar can see them.
The new Chinese jets are not so invisible after all.
No special technology is required to detect the J-20, as it can be detected by ordinary
radar stations.”
Keeping all the aspects in context, it can be safely said that the deployment of F35B
with Izumo class warship will significantly improve Japan’s defensive as well as offensive capability.