Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1532587
The second pair of new-generation vessels belong to the Izumo class—JS Izumo (DDH 183) and JS Kaga (DDH 184). From the outset, there was speculation that their helicopter-carrying role was not their fi- nal purpose. It is worth noting that Japan designed and built them with the future adaptation for F-35B Lightning II STOVL aircraft in mind. Initially, Japanese authorities gauged public opinion on these develop- ments. The lack of protests and negative feedback led the Ministry of Defense to decide on their moderniza- tion during the first maintenance period of these ves- sels, which entered service between 2015 and 2017. The goal was to fully prepare them for collaboration with fighter jets. The modernization process included reinforcing the flight deck structure, particularly by applying coatings resistant to the hot exhaust gases of jet engines, in- stalling additional generators and onboard systems, and modifying the bow section of the flight deck, which lost its distinctive trapezoidal shape. JS Kaga was the first to undergo complete modernization, le- aving the Japan Marine United shipyard in Kure in ear- ly April 2024. The following months were spent prepa- ring for deployment to the United States for aircraft trials. The vessel departed Japanese waters in mid- -September, heading to San Diego, California, where it arrived on October 5th. During the two-week stay in port, necessary mainte- nance and diagnostic equipment were brought abo- ard, along with an international evaluation team from the United States and the United Kingdom. On October 20th, several F-35B Lightning II aircraft AVIATION