A U.S. F-35 stealth fighter jet has successfully landed on Japan’s Kaga helicopter carrier for the first time, as part of moves to turn the Kaga and its sister ship, the Izumo, into full-fledged aircraft carriers.
A test pilot flying a specially instrumented F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing variant of the advanced aircraft touched down Sunday afternoon off the southern coast of California, the Maritime Self-Defense Force and U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet said Monday.
Working with the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, the MSDF is conducting tests to determine if there are issues with F-35Bs taking off from the Japanese vessel, while also verifying procedures for storing the aircraft in its hangar, as well as taxiing, fueling and its maintenance.
The trials, which are due to wrap up in mid-November, are also expected to help pave the way for the allies’ increased interoperability.
“This test is essential for strengthening Japan's defense capabilities and is of utmost importance. We will do our best to achieve good test results,” said the Kaga’s commanding officer, Capt. Shusaku Takeuchi. “This test does not merely enhance the capabilities of the Maritime Self-Defense Force. It also improves the interoperability between Japan and the U.S., strengthening the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance.”
Sunday's test follows a similar one conducted with the Izumo in October 2021 — the first time a Japanese warship operated with fixed-wing fighter aircraft since World War II.
Both the Kaga and Izumo are being refitted to accommodate the aircraft in a move widely seen by defense analysts as part of a response to the Chinese military’s growing maritime assertiveness in the waters and airspace near Japan.
The Kaga underwent the first stage of major renovations in March, making part of its flight deck more suited for landings by aircraft. Those changes included painting the Kaga’s flight deck with heat-resistant material, reshaping its bow from a trapezoid to a rectangular shape and installing lights for nighttime operations.
The renovations have prompted some observers to compare the ship to the U.S. Navy's Wasp-class and America-class amphibious assault vessels.
The Izumo has already undergone its first phase of modification, which focused on painting the aircraft’s flight deck with heat-resistant paint. The second phase of its modifications is expected to begin soon.
China, which has two aircraft carriers and is building a third, has responded to the move by playing down the Japanese carriers’ envisioned capabilities while also claiming that the move could prompt a return of Japanese militarism.
Critics have said the conversion of the vessels into de facto aircraft carriers violates Japan’s pacifist Constitution, but the Japanese government says that despite the modifications, the ships still maintain the minimum equipment necessary for self-defense, so possessing them does not present a problem.
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