Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Unveils Photos of Refitted Izumo-class Carrier

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) recently unveiled striking photos showcasing the refitted Izumo-class helicopter carrier, JS Kaga. These photos, shared by Escort Flotilla 4 through official social media channels between December 25 and 27, captured the vessel during its post-refit sea trials. The focus of this modification? Adapting the carrier for F-35B aircraft operations. JS Kaga, the second in the Izumo-class series, underwent transformation at Japan Marine United’s Kure shipyard in Hiroshima. Originally designed as helicopter carriers, these vessels were reconfigured with considerations for accommodating the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft.

The recent photos from Escort Flotilla 4 vividly showcase the primary alterations made during the refit process. Notably, the bow section of Kaga’s flight deck has undergone substantial changes, moving away from its original trapezoidal shape to now feature two symmetrical right angles. This modification not only provides a more accommodating space for F-35B operations but also appears to have increased the forward flight deck area while extending the carrier’s overall length by approximately one to two meters. This transformation marks a significant step for Japan’s naval capabilities, reinforcing its readiness and adaptability in modern maritime defense strategies.

JS Kaga (DDH-184) is a helicopter carrier being converted into an aircraft carrier beginning in March, 2022. The proposed modification of Kaga will be more extensive than for her sister ship and includes changes to the shape of the bow. The initial modification of Kaga is expected to take 14 months, followed by a second modification of the ship’s interior, which is expected to begin in March 2027. Kaga is 812 feet (247 m) long, and displaces 27,000 tons, making her the largest ship in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. However, she is considerably smaller than other contemporary aircraft carriers – the USS George H.W. Bush, for instance, is 1,092 feet (333 m) and over 100,000 tons. The ship is equipped with two Phalanx CiWS (close-in weapon systems) and two SeaRAM CiWS for her defense.

Officially classified as a multi-purpose operation destroyer, she is the second ship in the Izumo class of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), the other being JS Izumo. Her namesake arises from Kaga Province in present-day Ishikawa Prefecture. The ship bears the same name as the World War II-era Kaga, the Tosa-class battleship turned aircraft carrier that was produced in 1928 and participated in the attack on Pearl Harbor. Kaga and Izumo are the first aircraft carriers built by Japan since the end of World War II. Kaga was built as part of a wider Japanese military buildup, triggered by heightened Sino-Japanese tensions regarding the contested ownership of the Senkaku Islands.