Japan Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

siegecrossbow

General
Staff member
Super Moderator
Collision itself is no big deal. Many submarines have accidentally collided with fishing or merchant vessels in the past. But apparently they had to use cellphones to communicate with base... This is a major shocker. I didn't know that sailors are allowed to bring them onto a naval vessel.
 

Janiz

Senior Member
Collision itself is no big deal. Many submarines have accidentally collided with fishing or merchant vessels in the past. But apparently they had to use cellphones to communicate with base... This is a major shocker. I didn't know that sailors are allowed to bring them onto a naval vessel.
I reckon that phones are pretty much useless on (or in) the open sea, there's nothing to transmit the signals there and a cell phone alone can't have enough power. That's why they needed to get close to shore for reporting (they reported 4 hours after the incident). Plus sometimes you leave the ship in a harbour located 100+ km from the homeport and you simply need it ashore. The loss of means of communication was temporary here and it's understable when they messed up hardware in the place that's the most vulnerable place but for sure there's room for improvement in this matter for the submarine branch of MSDF.
 

caohailiang

Junior Member
Registered Member
Do you guys know where i can find an orbat of JSDF's land-based air defense systems (such as patriot or i-hawk)? Thanks
 

gelgoog

Brigadier
Registered Member
I reckon that phones are pretty much useless on (or in) the open sea, there's nothing to transmit the signals there and a cell phone alone can't have enough power. That's why they needed to get close to shore for reporting (they reported 4 hours after the incident). Plus sometimes you leave the ship in a harbour located 100+ km from the homeport and you simply need it ashore. The loss of means of communication was temporary here and it's understable when they messed up hardware in the place that's the most vulnerable place but for sure there's room for improvement in this matter for the submarine branch of MSDF.

I am surprised they didn't have a satellite phone or something like that. Perhaps they don't want to use what would be a foreign operated network to carry military traffic.
 

Janiz

Senior Member
I am surprised they didn't have a satellite phone or something like that. Perhaps they don't want to use what would be a foreign operated network to carry military traffic.
Nah, they just upgraded and they will be placing satellite phones on submarines as countermeasure for such situations ;)
 

Jeff Head

General
Registered Member
This is a post about my new 1:350 scale JS Kaga DDH-184 configured as an escort/jump-jet carrier with F-35B aircraft augmented by EV-22 AEW, SV-22 ASW, and rescue and ASW EH-110 and SH--60J ASW helicopters.

I got this ship from quality models. They did not have it, and they usually make 1:300 or 1:250 scale, so I ordered it as a special order. I asked them not to include the air wing or other instruments or equipment. My experience with them is that they do not do a very good job on the aircraft or some of the sensors. So I purchased the air wing from SNAFU on Shapeways 3D printing and other vendors ther, from Veteran Models, and from Trumpeter. I put together the EV-22s and the SV-22s from Trumpeter V-22 paks and purchased 1:350 metal railing and other sensors to place on the carrier myself.

The whole thing cost me $400 from quality models and about $80 for the other parts I bought.

Some of this came, like the 1:350 ECM and electronic Kaga replica launchers and other sensors and weapons (like the .50 cal machine guns and SEARAM launchers) from veteran models and spares I had.

These will be excellent carriers and carrier groups, and along with the US, Japan, Korea, India and others represents a continuing attempt for the western nation to answer the amazing growth of the PLAN.

Speaking of the US, it is doing a good thing in making the two aircraft centric Ameica LHAs and two of the Wasp LHD into essentially Escort carriers, CSEs. The will be able to carry up to 24 F-35Bs and a couple of ASW/Rescue aircraft and 2 AEW type aircraft. This adds 4 carriers to the 10 large nuclear carriers and ends up with 14 which was the number the US had durning the first half of the of the Cold War.

And, there is already an excellent candidate for the AEW air craft and that is the EV-22 Osprey which is shown in the videos and pictures in this post.

It was designed and offered to the UK but they ended up building the Merlin oriented AEW helo which cannot go as high, does not carry as large or long range of radar. With the proliferation of such carries in the US, Japan, Korea, India, Italy, Spain, Turkey and elsewhere, there is a very potentially lucrative market for them. At least 2 per ship, and a couple for training,and a couple for reserve aircraft for each country. Probably a total of 60-80 aircraft before it is all said and done.

The Osprey EV-22s would have the range to be able to detect most modern attack aircraft carrying long range, air launched ASMs before they were launched. Very critical and something helo AEW does not have the range for.

In addition, for Japan and the others, another critical aircraft would be the SV-22 Osprey which has also been proposed bringing back the long range, heavier ordinance the US lost with absolute way premature, and, IMHO, rediculose retirement of the S-3s. ASW is one of the critical needs of any carrier. The SV-22 would bring this critical long range and heavier ordinance back to all of the carriers, the CVNs, the CVs, the CVEs, and the Japanese and Korean, and other conversions of the Dokdo and Izumo vessels.

For the Japanese and the JMSDF, here are two video showing the JS Kaga DDH-184 configured with F-35Bs and these other aircraft. Both are in 1/350 scale. One video of the carrier itself, and one video of the entire CSG (Carrier Strike Group) arrayed around her.

JS Kaga DDH-184 with F-35Bs

JMSDF CSG centered on JS Kaga

Consider subscribing to my channel. I also have a neat video of a two carrier CSG for Japan with both Izumo carriers with more escorts. I will post a few pics of these models to go with this post.

@TerraN_EmpirE @SamuraiBlue @Equation
 

Jeff Head

General
Registered Member
yQALGac.jpg

The second ship of the 3900 ton class frigate, JS Kumano, had been launched yesterday in the Mitsui shipyard in Tamano. It's the second ship of the class launched first because the other one had an accident during turbine testing and the building process had been suspended in summer if I remember it correctly. Fortunately no casualties there and according to reports the works on the second vessel resumed earlier this month and it should be launched early next year. The new class is rougly as big as the 054A with empty displacement of 3900t, 133m in lenght and beam of 16.3m. It's also the first JMSDF ship to include stealth features to the extent that it looks more like European product rather than anything Japan launched in the recent years. And a short video from launch.

We shall see if the stealth is well maintained after complete outfitting. If they use a good stealthy cupola for the main gun and hide the ECM and various other weapons and sensors either inside or below the radar line behind the stealthy solid wall section acting as safety rails, they should be able to,

The US Independebce class Fast Frigates are similarly stealthy, as are the Zumwalts which are large vessels which sadly were cut from 28 vessels to 3.

As it is this class looks VERY good! How many do they intend to build? Hopefully more than two. They could replace a couple of classes of older frigates and build 12-15 of them.
 

Jeff Head

General
Registered Member
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I'm sure most people here were already aware of the new submarine class, but thought I would share. On the basis that Japan is planning to have 22 submarines in service, the submarine fleet will eventually be:

(2 training submarines - Oyashio)
6 Oyashio (older boats decommissioned)
12 Soryu
4 Taigei

No doubt more Taigei submarines will be built to replace the last of the Oyashio subs when they're eventually decommissioned.

They will increase the sub force to 24 if they build the two more planned Taigei class.

I believe the Soryu and Taigei boats are about the best AIP SS boats built. Very good long range. Good speed submersed. Very stealthy. Very good weapon load out.
 
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Jeff Head

General
Registered Member
The post I made comes from the defense budget request released on Sept 30th. In it there is only a description about changing the bow into a square shape. It sort of implies no ski-jump.

So technically an affirmative that there will be no ski-jump hasn't been posted yet.

Here's the text from the little image that is from the defense budge request so that it could be copy/pasted into translation to ease cross-checking.

「いずも」型護衛艦の改修(231億円)
飛行甲板上の耐熱塗装等に加え、F-35Bを安全に運用す
るため、艦首形状を四角形に変更

Here's the full defense budget request.
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They are planning two upgrades to fully facilitate the F-35B integration.

The first will add structural strengthening, exhaust treatment to the landing anfd take-off areas of the dec and some hanger enhancement.

Originally the second would add enhancement to the forward deck and other final enhancements. Originally this was to be a ski-jump, but with the US Navy developing operations without any to the two aircraft centric LHAs and two Wasp class LKDs, perhaps the JMSDF will operate similarly.

Whatever the case, it will be good to see the Izumos operational with. 12-14 F-35Bs on their decks.
 
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