JMSDF Carrier ?

[Thorvic]

It looks like JoeP may not be far off the mark, it lloks like Japan may be considering an enlarged version of the DDH-22 Helicopter Carrier into a full blown CVF style carrier to counter Chinese Carrier expansion hopes !.





Might be possible by converting a 1/720 Italeri Nimitz hull and using an Pitroad/Aoshima Hyuga kit as a basis for the Island and the fitting, but we'll have to await dcent F-35C aircraft to appear in model form.

[rickshaw]

I think that would be a completely new ship, rather than just an "expansion".   It looks significantly bigger in all dimensions.

[scooter]

Why doesn't the USN just sell them the Kitty Hawk?   And that F-3 looks like composite F-35/YF-23/F-22.  The big questions are, will their defense budget be able to support it, and doesn't a carrier fall under an "offensive weapons system"?

[Thorvic]

It more fan art based on combining the new DDH helo carrier with a US CVN hull and setting dimensions similiar to CVF. A full fledged carrier powered by Gas Turbines would need a better island layout especially if built out on a sponson as they show.

However i suspect its possibly driven by a genuine investigation by the JMSDF to take the next step to a conventional carrier should the requirement arise. An actual design would most likely have input and advice from both the USN & RN for Flight deck layout and how to create a viable conventionally powered carrier.

[NARSES2]

and doesn't a carrier fall under an "offensive weapons system"?

My first thought as well Scoot

[pyro-manic]

Cool! Quite an attractive ship, as flat-tops go. Now where are the Valkyries?

A more plausible option than a full-fledged carrier would be to stretch the Hyuga design some more and call it a "large helicopter destroyer", complete with bolt-on ski-jump for when the F-35s arrive. Or perhaps enlarge the already impressive submarine fleet?

[Thorvic]

A more plausible option than a full-fledged carrier would be to stretch the Hyuga design some more and call it a "large helicopter destroyer", complete with bolt-on ski-jump for when the F-35s arrive. Or perhaps enlarge the already impressive submarine fleet?

Look up the DDH-22 design the next batch of follow on to the two Hyuga

[pyro-manic]

I said "more", if you look closely.

[Joe C-P]

A full-sized carrier might not make it through the Japanese Diet; it could be considered too much of an offensive force.

An expanded helo carrier able to support a force of F-35s and V-22s is a more probably evolutionary step.
But, that depends on China and North Korea, and even Russia to degree.

[Thorvic]

Well they already have the STOVL carrier under construction as the new DDH-22 are 240m long and are optimised for F-35B operations along the lines of the USMC. I do think partt of the reason for selecting the F-35A as a phantom replacement will open the options for the other variants at a later date.

As for the Diet and the Japanese public, the fact that Fujimi choose to release the F-35B in JASDF colours flying off the Hyuga class or Aoshima marketing the Ise with F-35B & AV-8B  is partially to curry favour with the Japanese public so they are familiar with the concept. Aircraft Carriers are not actaully illegal, if used as defencive platforms the only mandate is that they are not offensive first strike weapons. THus we now see artwork of CVF sized conventional carriers  mentioned as a study to counter PLAN carriers, they are not USN sized Super Carriers which the Japanese are quite familiar with.

I wouldn't be surprised when we see the first carrier operations with the Chinese Shi-ling and its J-15 Sea Flankers than sometime later we will see F-35B being requested as CAP aircraft for the JMSDF fleets. When the first new Chinese Carrier enters service then we may see some sctive debates about building their own CATOBAR carriers along with the F-35C.

Anyway i didn't really post it for the politics but rather the modelling possibilities  , combining a Hyuga kit island with maybe a cut down 1/720 US CV carrier hull 

[TsrJoe]

Would make for a really interesting model methinks, especially in comparisim with other states current carriers in design/production ... Go on you know you want to (il see about casting up some jsf's too).